From the Ashes: A New Hope
by libraflyter
Summary: Once upon a time, Katara and Sokka did not discover the Avatar trapped in an iceberg.  Ten years later, the Fire Nation rules a world on the edge of destruction.  But all hope is not lost …
1. Chapter 1

From the Ashes: A New Hope

Disclaimer: I own nothing in relation to the TV show Avatar: The Last Airbender or Star Wars. Nor do I claim ownership of any other shows or movies that influenced this work of fanfiction. This fic is for fun alone, and I hope that you get as much a kick out of reading it as I did writing it.

Summary: Once upon a time, Katara and Sokka did not discover the Avatar trapped in an iceberg. Ten years later, the Fire Nation rules a world on the edge of destruction. But all hope is not lost …

Beta'd by: shadydave. Without her efforts, this would still be two mediocre chapters on my hard drive with meandering tenses and worse characterization. Also, hyphen abuse. She's responsible for pushing me to finish this, as well as keeping me on track. If Aang says something that makes you laugh, it was probably her idea.

This story is complete, and will be updated once a week :D. I've learned my lesson from all my other poor, abandoned WIPs

Pairings: Mostly gen, some references to Yue/Sokka and Yue/Zuko

Rating: PG. Some swears.

* * *

_A long time ago, in a world far far away…_

_After a century of war, the Fire Nation__  
has crushed nearly all hope of rebellion,__  
bringing war against the earth itself in __  
its attempt to raise an empire from the __  
ashes of the former four nations. _

_Without the Avatar, master of all four __  
elements and bridge to the Spirit World, __  
the Balance has been so upset the dead __  
walk the land. All that is left is survival…_

Chapter One:

"Goooooood morning, Captain Hotman!"

Zuko glared at the obnoxious kid scampering onto _his_ ship, but before he could yell at him to get off, or even better, throw him overboard, his uncle climbed aboard behind him and gave him a significant look.

Zuko stifled a groan and studied his uncle's latest stray with exasperation. Instead of finding a potential _paying_ passenger for the _Hawkbat's_ next run to Suzaku, Iroh had turned up with yet another sorry-looking refugee. They were everywhere these days – burned out of their homes to make room for Fire Nation citizens, or those same citizens fleeing when the dead did not rest. Even in unlicensed ports like Tart's Cove, ragged children roamed the streets, begging and stealing what they could.

The kid lacked the hardened look of one long for the Cove. Without despair beating him down, he had a vitality that was almost infectious. His eyes were bright and gray as he returned Zuko's gaze, no sneer when he met the tell-tale yellow eyes. He barely flinched at Zuko's scarred face. Though given his low-slung cap and fingerless gloves in this heat, he probably had his own scars to hide.

He could hear Iroh murmuring on about how this kid – Aang, his name was Aang – would be an extra pair of hands for the journey north. Their last crewmate had taken off immediately upon landing, refusing to work another job with a Fire Nation captain even the Fire Nation despised.

At least Hakkun hadn't stolen everything on his way to shore.

He'd left them the sails.

Sensing his chance to get off this rock was fleeting, the kid opened his mouth and started talking. He gave a long sob story about pirates, and a theft, and something named Appa that was either his friend or his animal and how he had to get him back because he didn't have _anyone _and -

"Kid. Shut up." The kid stopped mid-sentence, his eyes comically wide. Zuko held up a hand. "Know anything about sailing?"

The kid was halfway through an incomprehensible story involving surfing and giant koi before Zuko could cut him off. "Yes or no?"

"No."

"Then get lost."

The boy's shoulders drooped. Zuko couldn't believe how easy to read this kid was. But he'd toughen up quick. He'd have to.

"Captain Zuko," his uncle began, always with that brief pause, that empty space where another title should have been.

Zuko resisted the urge to sigh. Of course, Iroh wouldn't let the matter go. He never did. Sometimes Zuko wondered if he was running a passenger line, as often as his uncle brought some needy soul onboard. But those men and women were savvy survivors, and they never offered up any explanation as to why they needed passage on a smuggler's ship. This suited Zuko just fine. He'd get an extra pair of hands for a voyage, and his uncle would be happy. But the kid was different. He'd be an outright charity case. And Zuko had no time for charity.

"I think it would behoove us to take this child on our journey," continued Iroh. "He may require some training, but Aang will be an eager learner." The kid nodded furiously. "And certainly," his uncle concluded, "we won't find another so willing to overlook any ... misunderstandings in these troubled times."

Why did he even bother bucking Iroh's will? The worst part was his uncle had a point. The _Hawkbat_ needed a third crew member. It was a sorry state of affairs that the best they could do was a scrawny little street urchin, but Zuko had tried all the taverns. And bars. And whorehouses.

"Fine. The kid comes."

"Thanks, Captain Hotman!"

It was going to be a _long_ voyage.

* * *

On leaving Tart's Cove, they made good time as the winds and waves were exceptionally kind. It was almost as easy a journey as those he'd had before the death of the moon. A lucky turn like that made Zuko nervous. Things never went this easy for him for long. Even the kid wasn't as bad as he'd worried. He took to Iroh's instruction well enough and was willing to climb anywhere that was asked of him. The more menial tasks Zuko had given him were also done with reasonable good cheer. The only penalty was listening to Aang's constant chirpy chatter. And questions. Lots of questions.

"Why is it called Tart's Cove? Didn't it used to be named Akime? Are they really famous for custard tarts?"

"No."

"Then why - "

"Ask my uncle."

"Why are we sticking so close to the shore? Wouldn't we make better time further out to sea?"

"I told you, it's not safe that far out from land."

"Even only ten miles?"

"_Yes_, even only ten miles."

"Then if we need to re-stock on water, why can't we just land in one of the coves on this coast?"

"This area isn't safe. Too many people were killed here, and they won't -"

"Hey, a dolphin-beetle!"

For a kid who couldn't have been more than a toddler when the comet came, he seemed incredibly ignorant of the most basic facts of life. Zuko tried not to give a damn about some stray's past, but _no one _was that clueless – where had this kid come from?

Zuko may have screamed that at one point, when Aang wanted to know why they were smuggling whale oil – wasn't that wrong?

Aang, of course, answered. A monastery. That explained a lot. And even if it hadn't, Aang would have.

"Aren't monks supposed to be _silent_?" Zuko growled as Aang cheerfully described some arcane monk-y ritual that for some reason involved cake and delicious fruit filling.

"Only on Thursdays. Although when I was younger, some of the monks used to tell my friends and I that we should have a contest to be quietest the longest. I think they were just trying to avoid talking to us, though, can you believe it? So how about you: cake or custard tarts?"

"If I answer, will you stop talking?"

"Sure!"

"Cake. Now will you _please_ be quiet?"

"What's your favorite flavor?"

Fortunately, Aang suddenly scampered after the sails he was supposed to be minding as a gust of wind kicked up before Zuko tried to throttle him.

Complaining about it to his uncle didn't help much, since he only nodded wisely and said "Yes, children can be rather difficult at that age." He _did_, however, start intercepting Aang whenever Zuko's eye started to twitch and he fantasized about tying the kid to the anchor.

Still, there were times when Zuko could have used the distraction – usually before dawn, when he had the last watch and only memories to keep him company. So he didn't object too much early one morning when Aang emerged from the hold to complain about Iroh's snoring, which somehow segued into a story about how he discovered Appa was allergic to mangos, and then to a detailed analysis of why it was a bad idea to juggle mangos while balancing on the back of a chair, complete with a dramatic re-enactment.

"Now _this_ is how it's supposed to go," said Aang, still standing on one foot on the ship's rail. He had emptied his pockets of a rock (he insisted it looked like the absent Appa if you squinted right) along with a truly hideous orange handkerchief and was juggling both one-handed.

"If you fall in, I'm not fishing you out," said Zuko. He had to admit, the kid's balance was pretty good. He wondered if the monks had taught him juggling in a secret attempt to get him to run away and join the circus. That class was probably right after "Throwing Pastry Products at Unsuspecting Victims" but before "Annoying Everyone Around You," which Aang had obviously doubled up in. "Current Events" was apparently not offered.

"C'mon, I only fell because the lemur tried to steal my mango. Okay, now throw me that bucket!"

"And if you lose any of my stuff, I'm throwing you overboard to get it," said Zuko, but he picked up the bucket anyway.

"All right - one, two, three!"

Aang didn't fall in, though he did have to do an impressive little dance to stay on the railing when the ship rocked unexpectedly. He finished off by flipping the bucket on his head, catching the rock inside, and snatching the handkerchief out of the air. "Ta-daaaaaaaa!"

Zuko snorted, not that it deterred Aang from his performance. With a bow, he retrieved his rock and tossed the bucket back to Zuko, before plopping down on the rail as if it was _not_ a sheer drop into chilly water behind him. "See? Told you I could do it."

"Yeah, well when I need someone to juggle random junk, I'll know who to call."

"Random junk," said Aang, beaming. "That's me!"

The corner of Zuko's mouth twitched. Another swell hit the ship, and Aang rocked dangerously backwards.

"Whoa!"

Zuko's hand shot out and snagged his shirt before he could fall. "Get off the rail and go check the forward lines. We should be leaving soon."

"Yes, sir!" said Aang, scampering off.

His uncle appeared on deck, yawning, and came went over to help Zuko weigh the anchor.

"I was wondering where Aang had gone," he said. Zuko rolled his eyes and refrained from pointing out that they were floating a mile off-shore; where _else_ could Aang have gone? "I hope he was not bothering you."

"He wasn't asking any stupid questions."

"The only stupid questions are those that go unasked," said Iroh, never one to let the opportunity for a proverb pass.

"I'm pretty sure 'Why are the undead bad?' is a stupid question, Uncle."

Iroh frowned. "You may have a point, nephew. Aang is woefully uninformed about the modern world. I think it is our duty -"

Zuko dropped the anchor on deck with a thump. "If you want to teach him, Uncle, go right ahead, but _I'm_ not – "

Iroh beamed delightedly. "Why, Zuko, what an excellent idea! I shall be happy to teach Aang."

Zuko sighed, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Just keep him out of my hair."

"About that -"

"I don't need a haircut!"

* * *

Iroh dedicated himself to educating Aang on all he needed to know. Zuko was relieved because it gave his uncle something to do. And with the chatterbox occupied, Zuko could devote himself to the job at hand.

It wasn't like they needed money to eat or anything like that.

However, his dreams for a quiet voyage – well, an uneventful one anyway – ended when Iroh decided to take Aang's education to the next level. Firebending.

"Wh-what makes you think I'm a firebender?" Aang asked. He almost shrank into the rigging at Iroh's first mention of the idea.

That was a good question. He was flightier than most, but Zuko had pegged the kid for Earth. Water was too rare. And Fire? If you weren't in the loving arms of the Fire Nation, that was the last thing you'd want to be. Zuko had intimate experience on that point.

Iroh smiled. "I've a good sense for these matters, Aang. And as you've the excellent fortune to be on the only ship in the South Sea with two highly skilled firebenders onboard, there's no reason for you to delay. Or don't you want to be able to bend when you go to rescue your lost Appa?"

"But I'm not a firebender!"

"I think you are," Iroh said with gentle firmness. "And I think you have it in you to be a very good one."

Aang, ever the open scroll, was the picture of indecision. Zuko therefore decided for him.

"Uncle, we are carrying a cargo full of oil. Flammable oil. There will be no firebending."

"I trained you aboard a ship with far more dangerous materials."

Aang perked up at this. Great. Now the kid was curious. "What sort of ship was that?"

"It doesn't matter," Zuko snapped. "It was a long time ago."

"What happened to it?" Aang stopped swabbing the deck and settled in for story time.

"I SAID it doesn't matter!"

"Did you blow it up?"

"No, because _I_ wasn't a total neophyte!"

Aang winced at the shout. Zuko gritted his teeth and seethed. His uncle's latest scheme was going to get them all killed.

"My nephew does raise a legitimate point," Iroh conceded. "Our location is not ideal for the beginning firebender. We shall have to take care. But some breathing exercises would not be amiss." He stared at Aang very closely. "I believe that you will find them quite familiar from your time at the … monastery."

Aang dropped his eyes and muttered his agreement.

"Uncle," ground out Zuko, "May I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course, nephew," replied Iroh calmly, as though he had not just proposed the stupidest idea in the history of stupid ideas.

"Uncle, _what_ -"

"Zuko, before you continue, could you answer one question for me?"

Zuko scowled but let his uncle continue.

"Which would be more dangerous: Aang learning the rudiments of control under my supervision, or an untrained firebender running loose on a ship that is, as you have pointed out, extremely flammable?"

"That – " said Zuko. "I – " He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Ten, nine, eight – _I will not kill my uncle_ – six, five, four – _or his obnoxious protégé_ – two, one.

"_Fine_," he managed.

Thus began Aang's lessons in firebending. Zuko wondered what his uncle would think of next for the stray. Sungi horn? Tea ceremony? The fine art of haiku? At least Iroh's instincts proved true. Aang's first lesson in candle meditation almost destroyed the _Hawkbat_'s sails.

Iroh congratulated Aang on his natural power, and decided to rope Zuko into harnessing it.

"It is vital that we teach him control, nephew," Iroh said solemnly as he helped Zuko patch the new burn holes in the sails. Zuko wondered sourly whether Aang was his uncle's revenge for all his past transgressions. Though for once the kid was being quiet, probably because he was doing his best to hide behind the tiller. "Aang has great potential, but without our every effort, I fear it will only result in great destruction."

Just like every other firebender, Zuko thought. It'd be better off for everyone if they tossed the brat overboard. He wondered why he didn't.

Probably for the same reason the monks had settled for just kicking the kid out of their monastery. There was something weirdly charismatic about the kid, though that hadn't been enough to spare him. All it would have taken was one small "accident" for them to realize their charge wasn't just an orphan, but firebending spawn of the enemy. No wonder he was so quick to deny his potential. Zuko soon left the meditative exercises to his uncle and started Aang on the forms that were the basis of firebending. With a past like that, he needed to know more than how to breathe right. At the very least, he'd be aiming _away_ from the ship.

Unfortunately, Aang had a hard time remembering these practices should be silent.

"Why don't you and your uncle live in the Fire Nation?"

"We aren't welcome there." Obviously.

"But why?" Aang moved through his assigned combination. His stance was off. "And where'd you get your scar?"

Zuko glared at him and said nothing, hoping he'd get the message and shut up. He did reach out and correct Aang's position. The rocking motion of the ship encouraged a fluid sense of balance, but it made finding the root harder. His silence only encouraged Aang.

"Back at the Cove, I heard lots of stories about you, like that you were about to marry a Fire Nation lady, only her family hated you and then they set you on fire before the wedding, or that you and your uncle killed a bunch of people and then the mob almost got you but you ran away –"

Despite the fact they couldn't exactly afford much more damage to the ship, Zuko began perversely hoping that Aang would lose control again so he could douse him with a bucket of bilge water. There were much easier ways of containing accidental fires, of course, but they wouldn't be nearly so satisfying.

"-or that your uncle used to be a prince and so did you but then you turned traitor and were sentenced to death, or that you're just a jerk who suffered a terrible bakery accident and then got banished because you got a crappy haircut to fix it. I think the last one makes the most sense."

"What? There is nothing wrong with my hair!" Zuko kicked himself for responding. Though what was so bad about his hair? It may have been a bit … scruffy … but it wasn't like he could go to the royal barber these days. Before he could continue down that path, he snapped to the kid, "You're still not balanced, move your feet wider apart."

"If I ask nicely, will you bake us cookies?"

"No."

"Even if I said please?"

Zuko deeply regretted their lack of disposable objects, because he _really _wanted to destroy something right now. "No. Our past is our own, and asking questions like that to the wrong person will get you killed. You're damn lucky my uncle found you, because you'd be dead in the Cove by now."

Aang wilted. It was a full body wilt. "I was just curious." He looked up at Zuko, eyes big. "You and your uncle have been so kind to me. I just want to understand you better. We could be friends!"

Zuko wanted to snap again and knock some sense into Aang, but the kid was just a kid and had thus far been spared the worst of the world. There were too few left with any kind of innocence. Or so he told himself as he relented to Aang's hopeful stare.

"When I was your age, I made a mistake. I stuck my neck out for somebody else, and in return for my trouble, I was exiled. My uncle's either a good man or a fool, because he joined me in exile. If we ever went back to the Fire Nation proper, we'd be executed."

Aang frowned. "At least you helped someone. That's good, right?"

"I helped no one. Not myself, not the people I thought I could save. In the end, what I tried to do didn't change a damn thing. Not a damn thing." Zuko stared out to the horizon, wondering which story he was telling Aang. He'd been exiled twice over, each time for the same crime. It didn't matter if he was trying to stop the careless sacrifice of soldiers or a burning Earth Kingdom village; Ozai's Fire Nation had no space for mercy. Not even for his own son. "For the longest time, I thought I could do something. Could fix things, restore my honor. My father told me if I captured the Avatar, all would be forgiven."

"Th-the Avatar?" Aang's voice was suddenly very small. He stared down at his gloved hands, the exercise forgotten.

"I doubt you've ever heard of him. The Avatar is supposedly this powerful bender, the master of all four elements. I know now he's just a myth, but back then I thought if I just looked hard enough I could find him. It took me years before I realized how neatly I'd been banished. I was gone, and happy," Zuko spat the word, "to go further, just for the chance I'd succeed at the impossible. And after the comet – well, like everyone, my choices got a whole lot simpler."

Aang flicked his eyes back towards Zuko. "And your scar?" he asked.

"That's personal," Zuko said. He eyed Aang's hat and gloves. "Unless you want to trade scar stories?"

Aang tugged the grimy cap down further. "Nope! That's okay! You're right, asking too many questions is a bad idea! You know what's a good idea? Cleaning the deck. I think I'll go do that right now. Thank you for the lesson, Captain Zuko." Aang bowed and dashed off.

For the next few days, the kid threw himself into his chores, even keeping his fiery destruction to a minimum. Apparently the threat of turning the tables on story time was enough for Aang to ease off on the nosiness. Zuko was enjoying the lack of constant questions as he worked on knotting together a long tear in the net, when he realized something was wrong. Even when Aang stopped prying, he didn't stop chattering. Zuko frowned and looked up from his work. The kid was fishing off the stern, and despite handling rough seas, windstorms, and hanging upside-down from the gaff until his face turned purple without a hint of seasickness, only now that dinner was dependent on his efforts did he start turning green.

_Really_ green. It made the purple seem healthy. And he wasn't catching any fish, either.

It was only when he finally reeled in a flopping cat-grouper and apologized to it that Zuko realized his mistake.

"Here," he said, handing Aang the unfinished net. "You work on this. I forgot you were a vegetarian."

"Thanks," said Aang. Zuko took the line and cast off again (his aim only a _little_ awry) as Aang turned the net around, examining the holes. "Good thing I like seaweed, huh? Mmm, bladderwrack."

Zuko's mouth twitched. "Just don't tell that to the Southern Water Tribe. We got lost at the South Pole before the – a long time ago, and had to trade with them for food." Well, he guessed it qualified as trading. Sure, his main contribution had been getting in a fight with the guard, kicking him in a snowdrift, and then getting smacked on the back of the head by a boomerang, but he _had_ donated some of the supplies they exchanged. He had just been... peckish with hunger. _Not_ cranky, no matter what his uncle said. Besides, Iroh had smoothed everything over by promising the Water Tribe they would never have to see them again. "If they ever offer you sea prunes, just say no."

He was fairly certain one of the alleged prunes had been a rock. Though it may have tasted better than the actual sea prunes, come to think of it...

"There's still a Southern Water Tribe?" asked Aang.

"Probably," said Zuko. "The South Pole is one of the safest places in the world right now. They're way out on the ice, which keeps the dead away and makes it hard for the navy to find them. They haven't even been an official threat to the Fire Nation since the last of their waterbenders were captured decades ago." He snorted. "I'm sure that was a big comfort to them when the moon was killed." He reeled in a fish, dropping it in the bucket beside him. Aang looked away.

"Do you hate them?" he asked suddenly, after Zuko had cast off, dug the hook out of the deck, and cast off again, into the water this time.

"Hate who?" Zuko replied. He guessed the Southern Water Tribe was all right – he'd had a headache for three days, but at least his stomach had been full.

"The Fire Nation," said Aang. "I mean, I know you grew up there, but they kicked you and your uncle out, and I _know_ you can't stand what they've done to the moon and the other nations..."

Aang was staring at him intently. Zuko should have expected something like this. Here was a kid who had never even seen the Fire Nation, but had probably been kicked out all the same for being a firebender; and everyone knew all _they_ were good for. No home, identity crisis, and destiny yanked out from under him. Zuko could relate.

"I did, for a while," he said slowly. "After the comet. Because almost everything I'd been told was a lie. But – it only made me hate myself, too, for what I'd done – or hadn't done."

"What made you change your mind?"

"My uncle," said Zuko. "He yelled at me. A lot. Eventually, I realized that he was right: there was nothing I could do about it. And if you try to keep up that kind of hate forever, you'll have nothing left. It's not worth it."

"I know the four elements are supposed to be equal," said Aang softly, a moment later. "But it's hard to remember that when it seems fire is only good for destruction."

"I used to think that too," said Zuko. "Until my uncle told me about the dragons."

"Dragons?" said Aang. "I've heard stories about them. I always wanted to meet one, so Appa could race it!" His face fell. "Appa..."

Great. It figured that Zuko's attempts at inspirational lectures would only depress people more. "You'll find him," he said. "But if you still want to race dragons – well, I hope Appa can fly, because dragons are fast – and dangerous. The greatest warriors of the Fire Nation used to hunt them to prove their strength and courage. But my uncle – he talked to them instead."

"Wow," said Aang, perking up a little. "Your uncle can talk to anyone!"

"Yeah," said Zuko proudly. "They told him the secrets of firebending. Well, _the_ secret, I guess."

"What is it?" asked Aang, wide-eyed. He was still working on the net, though hardly paying any attention to the knots he was making. Not that Zuko was doing any better, as the fish appeared to have eaten all his bait without kindly snaring themselves to get eaten in turn.

"The Fire Nation fuels their firebending with anger," said Zuko, "but that's not its true source. Fire is life, not destruction."

Aang ducked under another rogue cast. "What?"

"It's like the sun," he explained. "It gives warmth and light and keeps all the – plants and things alive. So does fire – that's why your firebending is strongest during the day. And it's why fire keeps the dead away, and puts them to rest: they can't hold out against the force of life."

"Huh," said Aang. "So that means that even though the Fire Nation caused all these problems, they can help fix them too, right?"

"I guess so," said Zuko. "Eventually. Maybe." He frowned, and continued, "But if you want to spend the rest of your life fighting the undead, you might want to practice trying _not_ to set the mast on fire every time you try to firebend."

"Yeah, sorry about that," said Aang cheerfully. Zuko rolled his eyes and went to reel in his fishing line. Somehow, it had crossed directly in front of him, wrapped around the rail, and disappeared into the net Aang was fixing. He sighed. Even after all these years, he was still only about as good at fishing as Aang was at firebending.

"Whoops," said Aang. He lifted his hands to help untangle the line, but had somehow knotted his sleeve in the net too. And his pants. And, as it turned out, the rope had mysteriously wound its way around the bucket of fish.

Later at dinner, Iroh remarked, "It is a shame your yield was so poor today, nephew." As if years of watching Zuko fish and repeatedly come up with minnows, garbage, and the occasional angry shark-lion hadn't taught him that the yield was _always_ poor. There was a reason they usually used a net. "It was kind of you to give me the last fish."

"Don't mention it," said Zuko sourly.

"More bladderwrack?" asked Aang, holding out a bowl. He was in a much better mood. Zuko glared at him, but took some anyway. At least it wasn't sea prunes.

With much relief they neared Suzaku, their supplies having dwindled lower than Zuko liked. He'd bypassed their last re-supply point when he'd spotted the smoke rising from the shore: it might have been nothing, or it might have been the aftermath of a battle, with the Fire Nation or the undead. Either way, it wasn't a risk he was willing to take. Rations might be a little tight, but if they could just stay out of trouble for a couple more days –

"Captain Zuko, Captain Zuko!" Aang shouted from the lookout. "There's a ship off to starboard and it's being chased!"

Zuko fumbled for the spyglass in order to see what the emergency was. Off in the distance, a sleek Water Tribe ship, of a far more efficient design than the _Hawkbat,_ was trying to outrun a Fire Nation battleship. She did not have a prayer of succeeding but her captain refused to surrender. The steam-powered battleship continued to gain, despite the sudden rush of powerful wind that filled the small ship's sails. He lowered the glass.

"They have to make it." Aang gripped the ship's railing with both hands. "They have to get away!"

"Better them than us," muttered Zuko as he fought to slow the _Hawkbat_ down. The same winds that were pushing the Water Tribe ship closer to shore were bringing him too near the battleship for comfort. "Get over here and help me change course."

"But we could help them!"

Zuko grunted as he tried to adjust the tiller. "How?"

"You and Iroh are firebenders, and I'm the – maybe we could – " Aang's voice was drowned out by the growing storm winds.

"Maybe we could _die!_" he shouted at the kid. "That ship's got dozens of firebenders and they'll kill us just for being too close. Now help me get us out of here!"

Iroh came over to help, his own steady hands guiding_ Hawkbat_ away from the danger. "Captain Zuko is right – for now, we can do nothing."

Aang stared at the scene, growing less distant by the moment. By now the battleship had fired grapples at its prey and was preparing to board.

The kid was so worked up, he was practically hyperventilating, and the winds were picking up even more. Zuko had been at sea half his life, and he'd never seen a storm just appear like this. His thoughts flitted back to years spent studying the old legends, and the great power the Avatar was said to command …

Zuko caught himself scanning the sky instead of paying attention to the very dangerous and non-mythical threat in front of him. Sudden storms at sea weren't unknown, especially with the death of the moon. No one was going to come swooping out of the sky to save the other ship – or them, if they didn't get some distance from that battleship. Anyways, the winds were dying down, even as Aang struggled not to cry. The only hope anyone had was what they could scrounge up themselves, and it looked like the other ship was out of luck.

The _Hawkbat_ continued its retreat without the battleship even taking notice. It had won. Zuko risked a glance at the unfortunate prey, now swarming with Fire Nation soldiers. Even from this distance, he could see the battle raging, flames streaking across the deck and consuming the sails. Over the roar of ocean and wind came the crackle of lightning, and a second later thunder ripped through the air. Zuko paled and raised the spyglass to his good eye. Even magnified, he couldn't be certain if it was his sister he spied amidst the smoke of a firebending onslaught. The scene was precisely her style; Azula always liked a slaughter. But these poor souls weren't going down without a fight. A flash of white caught his eye and Zuko focused the scope to see one woman lash out at the soldiers only to be overwhelmed.

If it was Azula, all the better for them to continue their flight. There were worse places to die than at sea.

Aang didn't talk to either of them until later that night, after they had all picked listlessly at dinner.

"We should have helped," he said. "Back at the Cove, nobody had anything good to say about being captured by the Fire Nation. They'll kill anyone." Aang stared down at the battered clay cup that held his tea. "I heard – I heard they killed all the Air Nomads. All of them. Why'd they do that? Do any of this?"

"The current forces that rule my homeland, I am sorry to say, can see only the accomplishment of their immediate needs," came Iroh's quiet answer. "Over one hundred years ago, the immediate need was the elimination of the Avatar, then born to Air."

Half a lifetime ago, Zuko had been taught that the Air Nomads had been wiped out after a failed ambush. It shouldn't have surprised him that this glorious victory was yet another lie, but he still found himself squashing down an old pang of grief. Even a hundred years ago, the only thing his nation used the words "glory" and "destiny" and "honor" for was to hide their greed and hatred and lust for power.

"When the comet came a second time," Iroh continued, "the immediate need was the conquest of the Earth Kingdom, Water being taken in the interim. But that is, perhaps, an even more difficult task than the first one, as conquest leads to more enemies. In strange times such as these, the crushing fist finds more targets with every moment." Iroh moved to touch Aang's cup, gently reheating the cooled liquid. "And now, I think, you should finish some of my lovely calming tea. We'll need you rested when we reach Suzaku." To Zuko, he added, "I will take first watch. Perhaps you should ensure our young idealist gets some sleep?"

Zuko thought to protest his uncle's presumption, but a sudden rush of tiredness reminded him of how long the day had been. He acquiesced and guided an already sleepy Aang to the bunks down below.

While the kid curled up in that impossibly tight ball he favored, he murmured to Zuko, "It's still not right."

"Doesn't matter if it's not right."

"Well, it should. The entire world is sick and isn't even trying to get better." Aang yawned and turned over. "There was a girl on that boat. Or an old woman. Someone with the longest, prettiest white hair …. What's going to happen to her?"

The same thing that happened to the Air Nomads, the Water Tribe, and the Earth Kingdom, Zuko thought, but didn't say. He sighed. "Nothing that concerns you if you keep your head down. Don't think about it. You'll be happier that way."

"I'm tired of running away," Aang said softly.

You'll get used to it, thought Zuko. You'll have to. Then he took his own advice and went to sleep. He resolutely did not think about any women he may have glimpsed on captured ships, even if their hair had shone in the distance.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

The cell in the _Exterminator_ was not the worst it could have been. Yue had thought she'd be locked somewhere infinitely more unpleasant. But the metal room was almost clean and the pallet provided didn't writhe the way a bug-infested one would. She'd slept on enough to know. Still, she refused to sit down and rest. When her captors came for her, they'd find that a princess of the Northern Water Tribe was not weak.

These were times for the immovability of an iceberg.

Yue lifted her head a little higher when the cell door swung open. A man stepped into view. At the sight of him, she thought a prayer to La, and added the customary requiem for Tui.

"Yue," greeted the man. He was dressed in the uniform of a Fire Nation admiral, and his beard was the careful work of a fine barber. But even the best beard could not hide the scars on his lower jaw, as if a poisonous star sucker fish had attempted to make a meal of him. Yue had it on the very best authority that was in fact the case. "I feel as if there should be some manner of celebration for our meeting. How long have I been hunting you? Eight years? Nine?"

"You know full well it has been ten years since you cravenly murdered the Spirit of the Moon, instead of fighting us like a true warrior. Are you proud that your greatest accomplishment will be the death of a defenseless fish? All hail the great Zhao, a man of such daring he can conquer a koi pond!" She spat at the destroyer of her people. "Coward."

Zhao struck her hard across the face. Yue wavered, but managed not to fall.

"Now, now, Admiral Zhao, you mustn't break our new prisoner too quickly. And as it seems to be a point of contention, I believe it was ten since she became a fugitive, and eight since we cared," drawled a new voice. A woman a few years younger than Yue stepped into the cell. Her dark hair was pulled up in a topknot with a golden flame as a crown. She had not changed since the battle earlier and mixed in with the scarlet silks were the rusty stains of dried blood. Her smile came from lips perfectly painted to match. "Her little rebellion had an awfully shaky start. Isn't that right, Yue?"

"Princess Yue," she corrected. "And I find it most heartening that I've caused enough trouble to merit both Admiral Zhao and Princess Azula. Though I do wonder who is whose attack gopher dog?"

Azula flicked her fingers. A dart of fire singed off one section of Yue's hair. Yue did not flinch. "That's _Fire Lord_ Azula to you," she snapped. "And Admiral Zhao reports to me."

"Of course he does," responded Yue in the most placating tone she could muster. There was very little she could fear, now that the worst had happened. "Though I am surprised to find him at sea. Isn't that a bit too close for comfort?"

For the man who had killed the Ocean Spirit's lover, Admiral Zhao did not react as she had hoped. "Perhaps, but for the leader of the Rebellion, it is well worth it. After all, I needed to inspect things before we had you transferred to your new accommodations."

Yue did not like the sound of that. Azula noticed her apprehension and laughed. "Oh, you thought we'd do something as mundane as execute you, didn't you? Then you could be the noble martyr for your silly little cause. No, it won't be that easy. I've been telling Admiral Zhao about all the fascinating techniques those old Earth Kingdom spies had. The Dai Li are so creative. He's really looking forward to this."

A sick feeling grew in Yue's stomach. When they came to land, perhaps she could beg the mercy of the restless spirits to -

"And you needn't worry about my safety. I've a new vessel that suits me perfectly. There aren't any alive who can reach it with ease." Zhao smiled. "After all, the airbenders are dead."

Once the cell door had shut behind those smirking faces, Yue sank to the floor. One hand absently stroked the stinging cheek where Zhao had hit her. Her data was correct, then – the Fire Nation _had_ been developing a new airship. Previous airships had shown all the agility of a beached whale, their attacks succeeding more by chance than anything else. Zhao would never desire the command of such crude things. But if those too-clever minds behind the first had designed a new ship, one large enough or destructive enough to be fitting for both Zhao's rank and ego ... an airship whose existence was so tightly guarded that only one of Yue's spies had returned from her mission, and that mortally wounded.

Yue squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to be strong. Lin Hua may have been near death when they brought her aboard, but that master spy had not faltered in the defense of their ship. She had died taking a spear for Yue. They had _all_ died for Yue, and through her, everything she represented. If the Dai Li's interrogation methods were as formidable as rumored, then the rebellion was in more danger than ever – from her. If she broke, all of their plans would come to nothing.

She would die before that happened.

* * *

The _Hawkbat_ quietly slipped into Suzaku Harbor after nightfall. Sickly gray light from the ashen crescent of the dead moon washed over the city. The port was, in theory, the southernmost stronghold of Fire Nation authority. In practice that distinction was a mere formality. The Fire Nation sought to recoup their financial losses in the war with heavy taxes on such valuable goods as whale oil and ivory, but being so far from the homeland meant such rules were often circumvented. Between the undead and the rebel uprisings, the Fire Nation stayed in the north. In Suzaku, a fortune was to be made in bribes and the black market.

It was a good place to do business. Suzaku had the lawlessness of Tart's Cove and the money to make it worthwhile. Usually. As he guided the _Hawkbat_ into her berth, Zuko eyed the silent hulking form of a Fire Nation battleship anchored on the far side of the bay. It might be the ship from before, or merely the same model. Either way, it was impossible to tell if it was Azula's; he'd been resolute in avoiding the first-hand knowledge needed to recognize the _Exterminator_. Regardless, if the authorities had come to correct Suzaku's errant ways, he'd better conclude his business quickly, before anyone got too curious. The wanted posters for himself and his uncle no longer promised a great reward, but some of the people they dealt with could be persuaded for a small one.

"Aang," he ordered while he disembarked, "stay here. Iroh and I need to see a man about the cargo. And he doesn't like new faces."

Aang nodded. He was still blinking sleep from his eyes since Iroh had woken him for the approach.

"What are you going to do?" Zuko prompted. Experience had taught him that orders were best repeated with Aang, in case the kid decided to "mishear" them.

"Stay here," mumbled the kid, stretching out his arms and scratching at his ridiculous cap. He'd refused to remove it the entire voyage and the thing had the stench to prove it.

"Exactly. And stay out of sight too. I don't want to be getting a reputation as a nursemaid, either." Zuko ignored his uncle's tsking behind him. At least he wasn't kicking Aang off as soon as they hit land like he had threatened ten or twenty times on their voyage.

"My nephew is correct, if harsh in his wording," Iroh added, settling a dark green cloak on his shoulders. "Discretion is wise in a city such as this. Be careful and we will return shortly."

Aang waved goodbye at them. "I'll be right here. No problem. Have fun!"

Fun was not Zuko's preferred word for dealing with Brock. The small, pigeonrat-faced man was his most reliable contact for unloading hot cargoes, but that never meant he could trust Brock not to cheat him. This was going to be a long night of bargaining and veiled threats.

A man in Brock's business tended towards nocturnal hours, so Zuko had little trouble locating him at the usual dive. He was holding court in the back corner, counting out his take for the evening. Good. That meant he'd have the coin on hand to pay for the shipment. Zuko aimed for the table, trusting his uncle to have his back.

"Got a good cargo for you." Zuko saw no reason to waste time on pleasantries. He needed this deal done. "Whale oil, twenty barrels."

"You and every smuggler in the South Sea," Brock answered, unimpressed. In a few neat moves he slipped his money out of sight. "What makes you think I'm interested?"

"Because when I say I've got the goods, I mean it," Zuko dropped into a chair opposite Brock. "My word's good."

"Ah yes, your word." Brock gestured briefly to his men. Zuko felt them approach from behind. His fingers twitched and he wished he'd brought his swords along, Brock's paranoia be damned. "Captain Zuko, man of honor. I don't mean to impugn your fine sensibilities, but the fact of the matter is, the Fire Nation is in town and she's not happy with the current arrangements. I won't be taking such a risk for a mere twenty barrels."

"It's twenty barrels of the highest quality," Zuko responded, his gut tightening at the mention of 'she.' "I'll give the whole lot to you for four hundred silvers."

"No deal. Tell you what," Brock leaned forward. "I'll sell you the paperwork for authenticated oil transport for one hundred silvers, then buy the goods from you at twelve silvers a barrel. We'll walk into the Bureau of Commerce tomorrow morning and take care of it all legal like, so's I don't have to worry about any unfortunate government interest."

Zuko struggled not to show his dismay on his face. Brock knew this was a deal he couldn't accept. There was no way he could walk into an official Fire Nation building, with his wanted poster on the wall. He'd known twenty a barrel was unlikely, but Brock's counteroffer already undercut his by far more than anticipated.

He tried to bluff a little. "I can always take my cargo elsewhere. I'm sure someone in this city knows the value of a purchase off the books."

"You may find better luck elsewhere." Brock smirked. "Though did I mention the name of the battleship that graces my fair city? It's the _Exterminator_."

Azula's flagship. Agni's balls. It _had _been her. Zuko knew he had to unload, and unload fast. And that every minute spent looking for a better deal was another one closer to discovery.

Brock probably wouldn't betray him. A reputation for snitching could be more trouble than the reward was worth. But he knew enough to know Zuko was trapped. He would have to accept whatever Brock deigned to offer, and hope Brock didn't want Azula's attention any more than he did.

Zuko took a moment to curse his sister, his father, and himself for this state of affairs. He'd broken all ties with them when he was sixteen and in return he was forced to exist at the margins of society where even the bottom feeders could outmaneuver him.

After a few more rounds of bargaining, Zuko sold his cargo for a mere five silvers a barrel. In the overland trade, it could be worth thirty.

Zuko left the bar fuming. They'd barely made enough to cover the cost of sailing. The only bright side was he didn't have to pay Aang.

"You did the right thing there, nephew," Iroh said as they walked back to the ship, hurrying as fast as they could without drawing attention to themselves. "With the information Brock gave us, we know that our leaving is tied more to our fortunes than any wealth that could be had. It is a fool who jumps a canyon to reach the moonpeach on the other side."

"Tell me that on your third week of hardtack," snapped Zuko as he neared the _Hawkbat_, scanning for any sign of Aang. Good. The kid had kept his head down as instructed. "He cheated us, and we both know it."

"Better our money than our lives."

"I do not want your proverbs right now, uncle." Zuko climbed aboard and took a moment to feel the calming rock of the ship. "Aang, you can come out now."

No response. Had the kid fallen asleep? Zuko called out again. They needed all hands to roll the barrels out and into the generous embrace of Brock and his men. He heard no answer in return.

Aang was not in his bunk, or anywhere in the hold. Zuko climbed out onto the deck, cursing the brat for running before he could kick him out himself. He'd almost been willing to keep Aang on. He should have known better. The kid must have taken off the instant Zuko was out of sight. But why? For him to even ask himself the question showed how much Aang had gotten under his skin. The brat.

"Zuko!"

Iroh sounded frantic. A small flame danced in the palm of his right hand and in his left he held a scrap of paper. Zuko snatched it out of his hand. It was a note written in a messy scribble that could only be Aang's.

_Dear Captain Zuko and Iroh,_

_I know you told me to stay on the ship but I overheard some pirates walking by and they were the ones who took Appa from me. Appa's all I got left so I have to follow them. I'm really sorry but I'll be back soon (hopefully with Appa, he's really nice, you'll like him!) anyways they said they were going to go talk to someone on the Extreme Baker or something I will know when I get there._

_Aang_

That complete and utter idiot. Even if Appa was all Aang had left of his family (and Zuko was unclear on this – he was fairly certain that Appa was some kind of pet), running after a band of pirates was pure suicide.

"Zuko, you must go find him." Iroh crumbled the scrap in his hand. "I fear Aang is walking into danger he is not yet ready to encounter."

"Obviously." Zuko swallowed, his throat thick. "And I was just beginning to like the kid. But we can't draw attention to ourselves if he's run up against some pirates! Remember the last time we faced some pirates, Uncle? You know, when they _blew up_ my ship?"

"It is more than that. He must be headed towards the _Exterminator_. Were Azula to get her hands on the – on an innocent like that, the results will be far worse than we can imagine. Perhaps he has not gone far. You will go and find him. Quickly."

"Uncle, we have our own problems. Brock's men will be coming – "

"I will finish our business here. You will take care of Aang."

"Uncle – "

"That child is under our protection!" Zuko had not seen Iroh so vehement in a long time. "What is the honorable thing to do?"

"I gave up on honor long ago," said Zuko bitterly. Brock and others like him may taunt him for his "honorable" ways, but he knew what he had done to survive since the day of his second exile. Memories of a mask now lying at the bottom of a river swam through his head. His time as the Blue Spirit may have earned him the _Hawkbat_, but there had been no honor in those deeds.

"No," said Iroh. "You redefined it. Now follow the path that has been set for you and bring Aang home."

Zuko opened his mouth to deliver a retort, a denial, an insult - but suddenly found he had nothing to say. He clenched his jaw shut and ducked into the cabin. He took a moment to secure his swords and then he set out into the night in the direction of the _Exterminator_. He was going to deliver the most blistering lecture he could when he found Aang again.

He slipped from shadow to shadow, mindful of his risk. All he needed was some bright-eyed soldier recognizing him and jumping at the chance for promotion. Why did it have to be the _Exterminator_? Azula's flagship usually patrolled farther north, where the Fire Nation had more sensitive interests. Azula herself, he knew, was called Fire Lord now, though she acted as Ozai's chief enforcer. Their ancestors would be ashamed to see the title of Fire Lord so profaned. The throne would never be his, but some days it stung a little less, when he thought about what it had become.

Zuko wound through several city blocks near the waterfront, keeping his ears alert for any group that sounded particularly piratical or anyone that sounded particularly annoying. How did Iroh think he could find one boy in a city this size? Aang probably wasn't even heading towards Azula's ship. He'd written "Extreme Baker" after all. They weren't _that_ similar. The kid was probably now cheerfully harassing the beleaguered staff of some unlucky all-night bakery about wind pie cushions, whatever those were. He couldn't possibly be so foolish as to follow a band of pirates into a Fire Nation stronghold…

Zuko muttered a curse and picked up his pace. He dearly hoped Aang was showing a previously unknown sense of preservation and stopped this idiocy before he ended up sandwiched between two groups of people willing to kill him with a smile.

He arrived at the _Exterminator's_ pier. It was empty, except for a small group of men who were trying to skulk in the shadows of the nearest building. There were three of them, one with a parrot-lizard on his shoulder, or just a very misshapen hunchback. They looked familiar. Zuko narrowed his eyes, but shoved aside the urge to sneak closer and wring their stupid necks. If those were the same pirates, revenge wasn't going to help him now, and jumping out of an exploding ship was not an experience he cared to repeat. He scanned the area to see if the kid was anywhere to be seen, but he'd barely begun to search when the boarding ramp of the _Exterminator_ lowered with a muffled thump. A man in a heavy dark cloak stole out of the ship and over to the skulking band of no-good dirty lowlifes.

Zuko snorted quietly to himself. This guy was about as stealthy as a komodo-rhino in a china shop.

"What are you idiots doing here?" whisper-shouted the cloaked man. His voiced sounded familiar. "I told you never to come to me. _I'll_ decide when and where we meet."

"You asked us to go digging for information. If you don't want to know where the rebel princess is, then it's your loss," said the hunchback-parrot-lizard man.

"I know where she is. That freakish little white-haired bitch is currently in the hold of the ship behind me. The one belonging to Fire Lord Azula, who," the cloaked man grabbed the pirate leader by his shirt and hissed in his face, "if she hears of our little arrangement, will kill us all. Slowly and with pleasure."

Someone moved in the shadows behind the pirates. Zuko darted closer. If the cloaked man was who Zuko thought it was, he wouldn't have the least compunction in silencing potential threats, no matter how young.

"We've other information as well, Admiral," gasped the leader, tugging ineffectually at the cloaked man's grip. He released him with a shove. The pirate staggered a moment and continued. "We discovered a most unusual animal – "

"Silence! I don't care about that. Save that nonsense for the circus."

That was definitely Zhao's voice. Great. Someone else who wanted him dead. What a fool his younger self had been, not to kill Zhao in their Agni Kai when he'd had a chance. Zuko sank deeper into the darkness. On the bright side, it seemed Zhao was likely to get himself killed soon enough, plotting behind Azula's back. Zuko had thought Zhao smarter than that.

The meeting lingered a few moments longer. There were recriminations, directions to send discreet messenger hawks to chosen locations, and Zhao's boasts about his new command, the _Flaming Fist_. Once Zhao was satisfied he had reestablished his power and importance, he finally left.

The pirates began to disperse and Zuko prepared to follow them, itching for a fight even though he knew it would be suicidal. Aang would be nearby if they were truly his only lead to the mysterious Appa. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a small figure darting towards one of the chains that anchored the battleship to the pier. Why was Aang moving _away_ from the pirates? And towards the _Exterminator_?

Zuko gave chase. Just before Aang prepared to shimmy up the chain, he grabbed his ankle and dumped him on the ground.

The kid's response surprised him. Aang sprang to his feet, his body settling in the unmistakable crouch of a fighter. But he didn't attack. Instead, he darted nimbly away and sprang onto a nearby pile of shipping crates. Zuko climbed after him, calling his name in the loudest voice he dared.

"Aang! It's me."

The kid halted. "Captain Zuko?" He jumped backwards once more, landing another row up as easily if it had been daylight. "I'm sorry I left the ship, but I had to find out."

"Yeah, I get it." Zuko scaled another crate. "This is why we need to go after the pirates, who went that way. Let's go get your Appa."

Aang stopped his retreat. "You'll come with me? Really?"

"Really." Zuko was now on the same level as Aang. He stood and wobbled a moment before finding his footing.

Aang was surprisingly torn with indecision.

"It's just that – Appa's special, they probably won't hurt him," he said with the conviction of someone who refused to believe anything else. "But the princess – she won't be so lucky."

Zuko did not like the sound of that. At all.

Aang continued, "That man said she has white hair, like the girl we saw get captured before. And now I know she's a rebel and fighting against the Fire Nation. We – _I_ – didn't do anything before and now I have to do something. I owe them. I have to try."

"You don't owe anyone anything." That wasn't right. "No, wait. You owe _me_. Me and my uncle. And we need you safe." Zuko braced himself. "So you are going to come back to the _Hawkbat_ with me. Understood?"

Aang shook his head and Zuko pounced. He was a grown man. He could take Aang back by force if necessary.

The kid dodged. Zuko spun around and lunged after him, but Aang danced effortlessly away again. This was ridiculous. He should be able to catch one scrawny kid, no matter how agile he was.

"Will you just – hold – _still_?" Zuko grunted. He dove towards Aang to bring him down in a tackle.

Aang simply leapt over him with a forward handspring, and as Zuko tucked in a roll and came to his feet, he vaulted lightly over the edge.

Aang landed neatly on the ground and tilted his head towards Zuko. "I'm sorry," he said softly, "but I have to do this." And then he launched himself once more onto the chain and made his way onto the _Exterminator_.

Zuko clambered down off the crates, but it was too late. He watched him disappear into the ship, and cursed.

The easy thing to do would be to let the kid get himself killed. It was just like the sea chase earlier – not his problem. Only it was. This wasn't some random stranger, this was Aang. Aang, whose idea of being cool involved spouting off slang used by crotchety old men. Aang, who laughed at his uncle's stupid jokes and listened to his endless anecdotes about tea with all apparent interest. Aang, who talked to Zuko constantly and paid attention to his teaching (eventually) and who inevitably looked happy to see him, no matter how hard he scowled. As annoying as the kid was, as naïve and strange, Zuko knew he couldn't just leave him to Azula. He'd known it would come to this the instant Iroh said Aang's safety was his duty. Zuko crouched, gathered his strength, and leapt after Aang.

If Aang's safety was his responsibility, then the only person who was allowed to strangle him was Zuko.

He shimmied up the chain and through the porthole, after peering through it to see if there was anyone looking. It was a tight squeeze – though he was sure the kid had slipped through just fine. He fell into a storage room empty of people but for Aang. Who was perched on a box, knees bent, resting his chin on both hands. It was the expectant look on his face that made Zuko want to scream. Aang was not surprised that he'd followed.

"You," Zuko said, in the off chance the kid would listen this time, "are coming with me."

"No, I'm not. Do you know where the prison cells are on a battleship?"

"Of course I do – don't. Definitely not. My uncle sent me to rescue you from your own stupidity, so we're going to go through that porthole and back to where it's safe."

"Well," Aang began, in far too reasonable a tone, "I'm going to rescue the princess, and so if you're rescuing me, you have to rescue her. Did you find out where the prison cells were when you were exiled? On the ship you didn't blow up?"

Zuko ground his teeth very loudly. He'd known every inch of his first ship, the old steamer his father had granted him for the first portion of his exile. It had been his only home for three years until Zhao's pirates had destroyed it. If Zuko was going to do something stupid, he would much rather it involved sticking it to said pirates than standing around in his sister's flagship arguing with a twelve-year-old.

"The princess can solve her own problems. We need to – "

"Is somebody there?" a voice called out. Zuko spun towards the doorway. A Fire Nation soldier in full uniform appeared. "Listen, you're not supposed to be here."

They were caught. Zuko struggled to think up a plan.

Aang scratched his cap. "Would you believe we're ghosts?" he asked. "And this is all a dream?"

The guard shook his head. "You can't be ghosts; you haven't tried to kill me yet." He frowned, pinched himself, and then peered at them. "No, you're not dreams either. I'm going to have to take you in."

"Oh, don't mind him. That's my idiot brother," Zuko grabbed Aang by the collar and yanked him back, "he wanted to see what a real live Fire Nation battleship looked like. I'll just take him and we'll be on our way. You are in _so_ much trouble, young man."

Zuko bowed and dragged Aang towards the porthole. With Agni's blessing, the guard would stay confused long enough for them to run.

"Hey, do I know you? You look familiar," said the guard. He lifted his faceplate to examine Zuko more closely.

"Really? I guess I just have one of those faces. Never seen you before on my life, sorry to bother you," Zuko babbled as he hastened away.

Agni had never liked Zuko very much.

"Wait, I've seen you on wanted posters!" His mouth dropped open. "You're Prince Zuko!" He gaped at them in astonishment.

"Er …" said Zuko.

The guard blinked, then began to shout for help.

He didn't get to finish. Zuko let go of Aang and sprang across the room, knocking him out in one swift blow. The guard crumpled to the floor.

Zuko cursed. The man had managed to get off one good shout – more soldiers would be coming. There wasn't much time. He assessed the room they were in. It was a storage space, with crates stacked up to the back. There might be space to stuff a body or two. He hoped for two.

He began to strip the armor off the guard.

"You really are a prince?" whispered Aang. "Then where did you learn to bake?"

"What? It doesn't matter. I'm not anymore." Zuko grunted as he struggled with the dead weight. "Help me get his uniform off. If we hurry we might have a chance of surviving this mess a little longer."

In a few hasty moments, they'd stripped the guard and shoved him behind a large crate marked for sanitation use. Zuko could hear the footsteps of other Fire Nation soldiers approaching. He quickly dressed himself in the stolen armor. Aang tried to help with a few of the straps. The footsteps were coming closer. Whatever he was wearing would have to do. Zuko yanked the faceplate down and pushed Aang into the same cramped space as the guard. He didn't even have time to admonish Aang to be silent when two men, wearing armor much like his, entered the storage room.

"Private Li, report!" barked one. He wore the insignia of a sergeant.

"There was a pigeonrat, sir," Zuko answered as smartly as he could.

"You shouted an alarm for a pigeonrat?"

"It was a big pigeonrat. Sir."

Even through the faceplate, Zuko could tell the sergeant was looking at him with utter disgust. "For the last time, Li, I don't care how big the pigeonrats are. I'm putting you on sewage maintenance for your next rotation. Maybe that'll teach you not to shout at every rodent you see."

He beckoned to his underling and began to leave. He was halfway out the door when he turned around. "And Li?"

"Yes sir?"

"Fix your breastplate fastenings. Spirits forbid the Fire Lord saw you like that. We'd all be fried."

Finally, the soldiers left. Once he was certain they were gone, Zuko dropped his head against the wall. The helmet clanked in a satisfying way. Now he needed to collect Aang, and figure out some way to get the hell off this ship, before anyone killed him or he did it himself, to save on exasperation.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

Azula rested comfortably in her stateroom, having just finished listening to the report of one of her spies. Not one of her favorites, but the man did an acceptable job of watching Zhao for her. Provided he kept up the good work, she wouldn't even terminate him. He'd informed her that the admiral had been off with his little pirate minions. It amused her, his plotting. There was something so satisfying about knowing when someone was against you. It spared you the distasteful sensation of uncertainty. Azula's left shoulder twinged at that thought and she frowned. Yes, it was far better to be prepared than risk betrayal.

The most reliable thing about Zhao was that for all his little games, he knew he had a good thing. He would never move against her unless he was confident of victory, and she'd make sure he'd never be in such a position. Her spy was now authorized to approach the pirate band and make inquiries – nothing too specific, just enough to discover their resources. She wanted to know what sort of animal these pirates had been so keen to tell Zhao about. It was probably nothing, but one never knew what information could be useful. Azula had lived her life by that principle and found it to be a very good life indeed.

Azula arched her back and luxuriated in the feel of her silk sheets. In a few hours she'd have to go and take care of matters. The governor of Suzaku needed replacing, the prisoner needed interrogating, and Zhao needed reminding of his place. At least Zhao would be getting his own toy to play with and let her return to doing real work. An airship like that was a good thing for the Fire Nation, what with all the unpleasantness on the ground from the peasants and the dead, but it just wasn't as fun to rain death from the heavens now as it was the day of the comet.

That had been the best day of her life. She drifted off to sleep, dreaming of her coronation.

* * *

The storage room had not yielded anything useful outside of the hapless Private Li's uniform. All that their search had revealed were large amounts of industrial strength soaps, engine grease, and assorted other substances needed for a well-run ship. Dawn was approaching quickly and Zuko wanted them to be gone before the watches changed and Li's absence was noted. While he considered their options, Aang had started talking again. Thanking Zuko for coming after him, most likely.

Zuko wracked his brains for information. His ship had been smaller than this one – Zuko pushed aside the stab of jealousy that his father had given_ Azula _a nice ship; he thought he was long over that – but some things would be the same. The Fire Nation prided itself on standardization. A ship any man in the Navy could navigate was a ship any man could serve on.

"…which is why I'm happy you're helping me rescue the princess," finished Aang.

"No, I'm not," Zuko said automatically.

Aang stared at him. "You've followed me this far. If you weren't going to help, you wouldn't have done that."

"I'm not going to leave a kid like you alone here. Do you know how much danger we're in right now? If Azula – _Fire Lord_ Azula – found us, on her own flagship?"

"No. But you do. Which is why you understand why I have to do this. This is the right thing to do. And I'm not leaving until I do something." Aang locked eyes with him and said fiercely, "I'm _not_ going to run away again."

"Fine!" Zuko burst out, ignoring the shriek of his common sense. "But you have to do what I say."

"Sure! Where do we go next?"

Zuko took a moment to let out a big sigh as he accepted his fate. Sneaking an idealist through his sister's stronghold in order to rescue a princess, name unknown. No, no problems there.

"We'll take a maintenance shaft to the armory," I hope, he added mentally. "With any luck, we can sneak in before the day shift begins. This way."

Now that Aang had gotten his way, he obediently followed Zuko into the corridor, his footsteps light and almost silent. The sergeant and his partner were nowhere to be seen when Zuko pried open the shaft cover and slipped inside. The air was as hot and stale as he remembered. He was glad he'd taken the risk of leaving the armor behind – this was not the place to wear something so cumbersome. Trusting his memory of schematics years old, he guided Aang onwards.

After several wrong turns and backtracks, and one chilling moment when he'd heard the sounds of an engineer at work (he'd grabbed Aang and made him lie still for a moment as they waited for the man to pass) they came out in the back of the armory. No one was around. Zuko crawled out first, Aang behind him. He scanned the room, noting with relief the spare sets of standard armor with their all-concealing faceplates. That was their passport to walk around unquestioned.

After they suited up, another issue occurred to him. The kid snuck like a pro, showing more practical skills than he had thought, but one question remained.

"Can you at least handle a weapon?"

Aang shrugged. His armor, which was far too big for him, clanked. "I used to have a staff."

"Use this." Zuko handed him the standard issue weapon of a non-firebending soldier.

"But it's a spear!"

"Still a pole arm, and better than nothing."

"But it has a pointy end!"

"It's a _weapon_," he said with exasperation. "You're not ready yet to fight another firebender, and there's no way I'm letting you wander around unarmed. Can you use it?"

"Yes." Aang didn't sound happy. Zuko didn't care. He wasn't very happy right now, either.

They marched through corridor after corridor, winding their way down into the depths of the battleship. They passed other soldiers who didn't even blink at their presence – who cared about a pair of privates going about their business? Zuko thought they might have a chance to get out of this alive when they reached the brig.

The warden was there at his station to greet them. Now came the hard part. They needed his keys, and incidentally, they needed to know where Aang's princess was being kept.

The man looked up at them. He wore the uniform of a full lieutenant, the cloth neatly pressed and his insignia gleaming. The log book rested on the podium in front of him.

"The guard rotation is not due for another hour," he snapped. "Get the schedule straight."

Zuko had their story prepared and launched into it. "We're here to transfer the prisoner," he said in his old voice, the firm and commanding tones of someone who expected obedience because the alternative never occurred.

"Name?"

"Uh, Private Li, and this is Private – "

"Kuzon."

"Yes, Private Kuzon."

"I don't care about your names," said the warden. "What's the prisoner's name?"

"It's the princess. The, uh, the rebel princess," Zuko stammered out, voice of command fleeing under the warden's interrogation.

Aang chimed in a beat later. "She's got white hair."

"Her?" the warden frowned. "She's not scheduled for transfer until this afternoon. Fire Lord Azula's orders."

"Fire Lord Azula changed her mind," Aang said sharply. "Do you want to disobey her?"

That was a good one. Zuko was impressed. The warden was too, as he seemed to reconsider in light of the new information.

"Need to see your orders, then."

"Wh-what?"

"Your orders," enunciated the warden. "I'm not transferring anybody, let alone a high profile rebel agitator like Yue, unless the paperwork's in order. She's not worth my life, much less my rank. Hand it over."

Zuko had forgotten bureaucracy. Couldn't they have stolen something else from the Earth Kingdom? Like poetry?

"You see, we, huh, must have, uh not been given them. Just an oversight." In a stroke of desperate brilliance, he added, "I think they said they would forward them before we got here, sir."

The warden sighed, pulled open a drawer, and began rifling through the scrolls inside. "No one ever bothers to file things properly. If it's not here, then…" the warden trailed off and frowned. He stared very closely at Aang. Aang tried to stand as upright as possible. It didn't work. The warden dropped into a defensive pose and shouted, "GUARDS! INTRUDERS!"

Zuko was halfway into striking back when Aang beat him to it. The kid leapt over the podium, his spear swinging out before him. He slammed the pole against the warden's left side, knocking him down onto the floor. When the warden rolled and kicked out, striking his foot like a spark rock against the floor to fire at Aang, the kid gripped his staff in one hand and used the other to execute a fire block as neatly as the one Zuko had shown him, so long ago aboard the _Hawkbat_.

Aang could take care of himself. That was good to know, because Zuko's attention was diverted when three guards rushed into the room. He unsheathed his swords and moved to defend himself.

* * *

Yue rested on her pallet. She didn't have anything else to do but rest. And think. She struggled to force her mind to remember better days, rather than dwell on her present circumstances. She'd been happy once, when the war was a distant matter. For one hundred years, her people and the Fire Nation had fought, but there had been periods of peace as both sides retreated to lick their wounds. She'd been born into such a peacetime. The only tragedy her parents had faced was her infant illness, which the intercession of the Moon Spirit had healed. Yue closed her eyes and meditated on the gift that Tui had given her, wishing there had been some way she could have returned such a favor.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a commotion outside her cell. She wondered if Zhao or Azula were coming back, or if they'd sent someone in their place. The door opened. A Fire Nation soldier in full regalia, complete with horns and mask, stepped into view.

Only there was something not quite right about that picture.

"Aren't you a little short for a Fire Nation soldier?"

"Huh? Oops. Sorry." The soldier spoke in the high voice of a boy. He peeled his helmet off to reveal a young face to match the voice. "My name's Aang. I'm here to rescue you."

"What?" Yue had never seen this boy before in her life and there was no way the rebellion could have arranged a rescue by now. If they had, wouldn't they send somebody – older?

The boy repeated himself. "I'm Aang and I'm here to rescue you, Princess… " he trailed off and reddened. "I'm sorry, I forgot your name."

She blinked. Her purported rescuer didn't even know her name? "It's Yue."

"Yue. Nice to meet you! Now let's go!" He ran forward and pulled her to her feet. Yue followed him out the door, her head spinning from this change in fortune. If this was a Dai Li plot, then their ways were even more convoluted than she had ever imagined.

Aang led her into a smoke-filled corridor. Yue began to cough as she hurried beside the boy, hoping he knew what he was doing. The air cleared up around them as they ran towards an exit. There was a deafening explosion, and another soldier came flying out of the side corridor halfway down the hall. He smacked the wall with a grunt, but recovered quickly, turning to return fire. In the brief lull that followed, he ran down the hallway towards them. Aang didn't attack him, but merely gave him a wave. The soldier grunted and grabbed Aang by the arm, halting their flight.

"We can't go out that way," he said, "too many guards." He tossed something towards her. "This yours?"

It was a lady's boomerang. Not as large as a warrior's, like the one she had trained on, but the edge had been reinforced enough the difference was minimal. It had been a parting gift from the man who had taught her, and Yue clung to the bittersweet joy of that memory. She threw the boomerang at one of the dim shapes approaching in the distance and was rewarded with a scream for her troubles. Yue smiled when her weapon returned to her hand. That felt good.

She didn't have long to savor the moment before she was forced to take cover. Flamestrikes were coming fast and furious down the corridor now. The newcomer stepped in front of them and blocked the attack in rapid sequence. He backed up and the flames kept coming. His faceplate was missing, and Yue choked in surprise. She'd know that scar anywhere. Aang's partner was the exiled prince, Zuko! She couldn't tell what shocked her more – that she was being rescued by a firebender, or that he was an exiled member of the royal family.

"Now what?" she shouted, launching her boomerang in a tight curve. It missed. She cursed the narrow corridors as it flew back into her hand. "We can't keep this up forever."

"I got that," snapped Zuko. He sliced his swords through the air, creating his own waves of fire to send back at their attackers.

"What about those tunnels earlier?" asked Aang. The spear in his hand spun. All flames that came into that circle sputtered into nothingness. The boy was a firebender, too? He repeated the trick once more. Yue blinked. She'd never seen a firebender do something like that. Of course, she'd never had one defend her.

"There aren't any in the prison block!" Zuko said. He arched his back to dodge an arrow, swords crossed to take out the ones that followed.

Yue scanned the corridor frantically. The smoke had cleared around them, though it lingered in the space between them and the soldiers. It was lined with cells, all of which were shut. There was no way out. Except for – there. What was that?

"Cover me!" Yue ordered as she ran towards the open doorway at the far end of the corridor. She ducked inside the room, expecting to see the interior of another cell. Instead, she discovered a room set up for interrogation. Despite being unused, it smelled terrible. Outside of the various torture implements, one thing caught Yue's eyes. A table with straps to hold a prisoner down hung over a metal drain. She hurried over and peered between the holes. She couldn't make out much besides murky flowing water, but her nose told her more than enough.

That had possibilities.

She ducked her head back out into the corridor and shouted, "In here!"

Zuko nodded in acknowledgment and sent one more wave of fire down the hallway before sprinting into the room. The soldiers flattened themselves against the floor – except for their officer, who ducked behind the warden's podium and managed one final fireball before Yue's boomerang took him out. Zuko cursed as he tried to avoid the flaming missile, inelegantly pushing off the opposite wall and diving past Yue. She heard a crash and a yelp as something toppled over.

Aang was still out there.

"Hurry!" Yue shouted.

"Just a minute!"

Yue clutched the door frame, ducking back inside when a flamestrike soared by. She stole a glance over her shoulder to make sure her new ally hadn't accidentally impaled himself on any of the room's nasty surprises, and peered around the edge to see what was taking Aang so long. She hefted the boomerang in case he needed cover for his retreat.

Aang was standing directly in the middle of the corridor, his spear out to one side. He stood still a moment, and then he swung. Something rippled from him, from the spear, through the air and down the corridor. The smoke blurred and rushed away, followed by multiple cries and thuds as whatever he had done struck the soldiers at the other end. Once all the sounds had died off, Aang leaned on his spear and turned around. His eyes met Yue's in shock. A look of panic crossed his face at the realization he had been seen.

Yue didn't know how to respond. She had thought all airbenders were dead. But what else could explain this –

"Hurry up!" shouted Zuko from within, still trying to disentangle himself. "We don't have much time."

Aang skidded into the room. Yue yanked the interrogation door shut behind him and threw the bolt down, locking them inside.

"What did you do that for?" demanded Zuko. "Now we're locked in for when they catch us."

"I'm buying time," she snapped at him in response. "Since your rescue plan apparently neglected to include _an escape route_."

"Buy time for what? We're as trapped in here as we were out there!"

Yue pointed at the drain. "Not for long."

All three of them stared at the drain, and the sludge that oozed beneath it.

"Congratulations," said Zuko. "You've found the sewage system."

"Um, how does that work?" Aang asked.

Yue explained. Zuko would use his firebending pry open the drain and cut a hole they could escape through. They'd hold their breath as long as they could and pray that the pipes led somewhere they could surface and escape from.

"That has to be the dumbest idea I've heard," announced Zuko.

"Listen," snapped Yue, "I don't care. I'm not the one who barged onto the Fire Lord's ship without a plan for getting out. Or were you hoping she'd forgive you in a fit of sisterly compassion and let us all waltz out without a care in the world?"

"This wasn't my idea, princess." Zuko jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Blame the kid."

"Yes, blame the boy _half your age_, very mature – "

"GUYS!" Aang shouted. Yue and Zuko stopped and turned as one to stare at the boy. "Zuko, will it work?"

His face sour, Zuko nodded. "If we are where I think in relation to the pipes, and they don't flush the system to equalize the ballast tanks, we might be able to make it to the sewage tank and get out from there. If not, we drown to death choking on crap."

"Then let's do it." Aang's eyes widened as if he had just noticed something. "Is Fire Lord Azula really your sister?"

Zuko muttered an affirmative as he knelt down over the drain and got to work. Yue judiciously chose to stand a good distance away. It occurred to her that fire and noxious sewer gases might not be the best of combinations.

"Wow." Aang moved closer to Yue. "Zuko never tells me _anything_ good."

Interesting. Aang seemed remarkably ignorant of his companion's history. If they lived through this, Yue knew she would pry the story out of them. It was certain to be a good one.

Until then, she saw no reason not to educate Aang as to a few more details.

"Zuko and I were betrothed for five minutes when we were three," she said brightly. Aang grinned at her in return. "Speaking of my former fiancé, how goes the escaping?"

Zuko growled at her as he continued to cut through the drain. "Working on it!" He turned to Aang. "And if you have time to gossip, you have time to make yourself useful by melting the door lock. No reason to make it easier for them."

Yue frowned. Wasn't Aang an airbender? How could he melt anything?

The boy went over to the door and after a moment's concentration, produced a decent-sized flame that he directed at the locking mechanism. Zuko nodded in approval before returning to his task.

Aang the airbender could firebend. Aang the airbender could _firebend_. Yue struggled to hold both thoughts in her head. That could only mean that Aang was –

She suddenly wanted to bow. To kneel before this boy who had come to save her, even though he didn't even know her name. Of course he had. Any fears she had about a Fire Nation plot ceased. Aang was the _Avatar_.

Did Zuko know? Everyone knew that had been his mission in exile. Was that how he had discovered Aang? Yue kept looking from Aang to Zuko and back to Aang. The boy, the Avatar, must have felt her gaze, because he suddenly jerked up from his work. Aang spun and looked at her, shaking his head frantically. Yue realized that the instant he had turned towards her, she had begun to bow.

She straightened and made a quizzical gesture towards Zuko. If it was possible, Aang's gyrations became even more frantic. No, his body language screamed, don't say anything.

Yue was trying to puzzle her way through this when Zuko gave a shout of accomplishment. He yanked the jagged circle up, hissing at the contact with superheated metal. Aang stopped messing with the door mechanism and hurried over. They peered into the hole. It did not look any more promising than it had before.

"After you, princess." Zuko made a sweeping gesture at the entrance.

There was a thud on the busted door. Whatever time had been bought was gone now. Yue glared at him, took a deep breath, and jumped down. It was even more disgusting than she had imagined. Mindful of her air supply, she kicked forward and let what current there was guide her.

* * *

"What did you say?" Azula glared down at the incompetent maggot. Loo or Li or something had been found in a storage room, unconscious and stripped of his armor. His commanding officer, on hearing his story, had decided to interrupt her breakfast and force her to listen to his babblings.

"I saw Prince Zuko! He'd broken into the ship!" he said, waving his hands around wildly. "He and some kid, they just appeared, right in the room."

"_Prince_ Zuko?" she hissed out.

"I mean, that horribly scarred traitor, Zuko?" he hazarded.

What would her pathetic brother be doing here? Though he hadn't had the courtesy to die yet, he'd at least managed to stay out of her way. It was amusing really, how quickly he'd run away from anywhere she and her father's men were. He was right, of course – she could easily destroy him – but she had thought he would have died before ever admitting that.

Azula examined her informant. The man couldn't even maintain a correct military bearing in her presence. Some days that pleased her.

Today was not such a day.

"Did you manage to capture this intruder?" she asked. While waiting for an answer, Azula examined her nails. She was overdue for a manicure, and this latest inconvenience would delay it even longer.

"He knocked me out before I could – "

"Excuses, excuses. You tell me that you were overtaken by a pathetic little traitor and a child, and now you come begging to me to make it right?" Her day was going to be so troublesome. "Go stand over there while I think about this." She pointed to the black mat at the center of the room.

Li blinked. "Whatever you say, my lord."

"Charming. Stop there, that will do." She traced an arc through the air, thrust her right hand out, and shot him. The lightning ripped forth and struck the useless soldier. He jerked once and collapsed.

Azula gestured to one of the others to clean up the mess. That rubber mat was one of the best things she'd invested in this year. "Now that that's taken care of, I want every man on this ship looking for the intruder. If Zuko is here, I want him caught and in this room by nightfall. Understood?"

Her chief of security nodded. "By your command."

Another private ran into the room. "Fire Lord Azula," he began. He'd clearly run some distance, as he panted for breath.

"What is it?"

The messenger bowed low. "I've news from the prison block, my lord. Intruders entered and they've released the rebel leader with them. They're reported to be – "

"No, don't tell me, I want to guess. One appears to be the exiled traitor and the other a young boy?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Then what are you doing here? Find him! Find them all and bring them here. NOW!"

Every man in the room hurried out. Azula sighed. Her breakfast would have to wait. Though how long could it take to find three people on a ship? That reminded her. No reason to make this easy for Zuko. She called out for one of her aides.

"And make sure we cast off. I don't want the intruders being able to just swim to shore."

They couldn't go out too far – thanks to Zhao, venturing into deep waters on a whim had become risky even for a vessel as imposing as the _Exterminator_. While she saw no reason to chance a storm, they should remain safe enough near the coastline, but be able to withdraw far enough to seriously inconvenience any potential swimmers.

"My lord, we've already sent a detachment ashore to escort the governor. Casting off will take time and draw even more men away from the search."

"Are you questioning me? Just do it. If they're in the prison block, they'll have to go up to go out. I want to cut off all possible escape routes."

The aide bowed and obeyed.

Why was she surrounded by such incompetence? And she still had the firing of Suzaku's governor to deal with. Well, that could wait until her brother had been dealt with.

He'd always been a troublemaker.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Yue surfaced in a dark and enclosed space. She coughed and sputtered, trying not to breathe through her nose as she gasped for air – even air this foul was welcome after swimming through that muck. She had started to worry that they wouldn't make it when there had been a sudden push behind her. It had catapulted her along at a speed greater than she could swim.

Having the Avatar as an ally was a blessing. If she got out of this, she was definitely lighting a candle to the Spirits in thanks.

She could hear Aang and Zuko panting for air as they treaded water in the tank. They had made it safely as well. Yue struggled to get her bearings despite the darkness. The splashes all three made echoed strangely off the tank walls.

"Go to the edges," gasped Zuko. "Find the ladder."

Yue kicked her way in a random direction and bumped into something solid. Slimy metal greeted her probing fingertips. She struggled to keep the wall to her right as she swam beside it, hand out checking for rungs. She struck the raised bar after a few painful minutes of searching. Her arms and legs ached from the swim, and the air in the tank was breathable only in comparison to the muck below.

She gripped the rung hard and shouted for the others as she climbed. When there were no more rungs above her, Yue stopped and reached one hand out to feel for an opening. Her fingers touched the ceiling and traced out the outlines of a hatch. Bracing herself, she pushed and pushed.

"What's the hold up?" Zuko shouted from below her.

"The hatch is stuck!" Yue yelled back down at him.

"Let me try," Aang called up at her. There was a brief struggle as she figured out how to climb down for him to climb up. Zuko demanded to know what Aang thought he could do, and then cursed when he used his head as a step.

Yue had a good idea what Aang had in mind. There was a rushing sound above her, followed by a glimmer of dim light above. The three of them clambered out of the tank and collapsed on top of it.

They were now in a room filled with similar tanks. Above the tanks hung a catwalk, ladders hanging down from its sides to allow a person to move from tank to catwalk to tank. Fortunately, it appeared to be deserted. Zuko groaned, staggered to his feet, and went off to investigate something mechanical hanging on the wall.

"So where to next?" said Aang, leaping to his feet with depressing alertness. He yelped as a sudden gush of seawater knocked him over.

Zuko was holding a hose and smirking. "Bilge pump," he explained as Aang sat up, spluttering. "They use them in here to hose down the decks."

"It smells like dead fish!"

"Trust me," said Yue. "Dead fish is definitely an improvement." Zuko proffered the hose, and she raised an eyebrow at him. He glared back, until he finally gave up and turned back to the pump, working the handle to re-fill the reservoir. He muttered something that sounded very rude.

Yue decided to ignore him. "How did you get on board in the first place?" she asked Aang. She heard a snort from Zuko and raised a hand just in time to avoid getting a spurt of brine in her eyes. She gave Zuko her most royal disparaging look before turning back to Aang, who had begun to speak.

"I just climbed aboard at Suzaku," he answered. "I heard that Zhao guy say you were here and I knew I had to do something." His voice grew more serious. "Zuko and I saw your ship get taken before. I'm sorry I didn't do anything then. Your people deserved better."

Yue swallowed. In the midst of all her other worries, she'd hadn't taken the time to mourn Captain Yoshi and the others. Lin Hua's eldest had just turned ten. One more motherless child to place at the Fire Nation's feet. When the time came, she would have justice for them. But that would never happen if she could not complete this escape.

"So we were in the harbor?" she clarified. "And you two just snuck on board?"

"Basically. Though Zuko took some convincing." He jumped as another jet of water struck him, flailing and holding tightly onto his hat.

"Color me surprised," Yue said, pulling her over-tunic over her head and wringing it out. "Why exactly are you here, Prince Zuko? My reports never indicated that you had any interest in the rebellion."

"I _don't_. But the kid ran off and he wouldn't listen to reason and… " Zuko trailed off. "You could at least try to look ashamed, Aang. I had to leave my uncle alone with Brock's men to run after you."

His uncle. General Iroh, the other errant Fire Nation royal. Yue's sources spoke both better and worse of him. Twenty years ago, he was the one they had feared as the heir apparent, a military genius who proved to be the first real threat to Ba Sing Sei in a hundred years. But when he hadn't inherited, he'd dropped out of sight – only to reappear and accompany his nephew into exile for an unknown crime. Master Pakku had even told her once that Iroh could prove himself as an ally, someday.

"Anyways, we're at sea now," said Zuko. He gestured at Yue with the hose, and she braced herself for another dousing. She did notice, however, that the stream was marginally less powerful than the one he kept turning on Aang, although given how dirty she was she didn't know if this was a good or bad thing. "I can feel it."

Aang sighed. "Guess that means no running out the nearest porthole."

"It means this all is going to be for nothing. Even if we manage to reach the deck and steal a landing craft, Azula will still catch us. We've got nowhere to go."

"Aren't you the optimist?"

Zuko sneered at her in response. He thought their cause was hopeless, he didn't know Aang was the Avatar (and Aang clearly meant to keep it that way), and he was still here. Yue didn't understand him.

She considered their options as Zuko handed Aang the hose and explained the pump to him. In theory, they could try to survive an epic game of cat and mouse-gecko until the _Exterminator_ docked again, but that was a fool's plan. If she was going to die on this ship, she wanted to take a chunk of it with her.

"Could we sabotage the ship?"

"Ooh! Then they can't follow when we escape!" Aang chimed in. He was enthusiastically pumping the handle, for far longer than Zuko had been doing.

Zuko looked from her to Aang and back again. "You want to sneak into the engine room, sabotage it, sneak out, and steal a landing craft which we manage to pilot away without being blown out of the water?"

"That's a great plan," chirped Aang. "Let's do that."

He slammed his head into his palms and growled, glancing sideways to glare at Aang. Yue hid a smile behind one hand. Already she could tell how this would end – he was going to grouse about the insanity, then grudgingly tell them what they needed to do. It was a pity her people hadn't cultivated more contacts with disillusioned Fire Nation citizens. They had the most useful information.

"You're crazy. This is never going to work."

"So where do we go next?"

Zuko sighed. "Well, there should be a maintenance hatch by the starboard bulkhead – AUGH!"

It took several minutes before Yue and Aang were able to stop laughing and unwind the hose to lower it down between the tanks, but the image of Zuko getting hit in the face with a dead fish while being blasted over the side by the super-charged stream of water was one Yue definitely would be cherishing for a long, long time.

* * *

Azula marched down the cell corridor. The walls were covered in the scorch marks of a prolonged firefight, yet there were no bodies of the intruders to greet her. Beside her, the warden on duty rattled off his excuses and apologies. He'd acted according to procedure. They'd gotten the intruders pinned down. Everything had been going to plan until the entire security force had been blown backward by some kind of mysterious explosion. By the time they came to, the intruders had disappeared into the locked interrogation room that was just now being pried open.

But instead of three traitors cowering in a corner, they found nothing. Except for an open sewer drain and the pile of armor beside it.

Azula turned to the warden. "I want you to find where this leads, and send a team of the finest troops we have to apprehend the intruders. And I want you to lead them there, because I am not happy right now. And if you do not succeed in changing that, you will discover how very unhappy I can be. Understood?"

The warden bowed. He was practically prostrate before her. "Of course, my lord. We'll have them caught in no time."

"People keep telling me that, and it's not happening. Fix this."

He rushed out. Azula gestured to one of his underlings who remained. His armor was still slightly charred from the earlier fight. "As for you, jump down there and see where it goes."

"But – my lord, that could be suicide!"

"Well then, you'll find the bodies, won't you?" Azula snapped her fingers at him. "Do it."

He bowed and stripped his armor to follow. He hovered a moment above the hole, then plunged in. Azula watched him go with distaste. She doubted that Zuko had done something as useful as drown. He'd never been so accommodating so far. Who was his companion, the unknown boy? And how, exactly, had they taken out her entire security force all at once? There was no sign of an explosion of that magnitude, and if _she_ wasn't powerful enough to bring down twenty guards in one fell swoop, Zuko could hardly be expected to do the same. This situation was moving from inconvenient to outright problematic. And she _still_ hadn't eaten breakfast.

* * *

Crawling through maintenance tunnels while still damp from baths in both ocean and sewage was … unpleasant. Not that Yue was complaining. She'd rather crawl through a hundred metal shafts, wet robes chafing at her knees and elbows, than remain in her cell awaiting tortures unknown. In front of her crawled Zuko, sometimes moving at a confident pace she struggled to match, though at every other juncture he would slow before deciding which turn to make. Yue had to give the exiled prince credit. Despite how obvious it was he was straining his decade-old memories, once a choice was made there was no hesitation in his motion. It was not unlike his commitment to her rescue and their subsequent escape – now that he was here, he would do everything in his power to ensure success.

And so they crept along in silence. Outside of the usual creaks and cranks of a ship at sea, they'd heard very little sound beyond them. But now there was no mistaking the murmur of voices that echoed against the walls.

"… Admiral …report…pirates…"

Zuko stiffened and brought their parade to a halt. The last turning had been some distance back, and the only way was forward. Yue swallowed and tried not to breathe loudly.

"Idiot! … require …I…"

That voice. Yue's fingers curled into fists, scraping against the metal. She'd know that voice anywhere. On the other side of that wall was Zhao himself. She glared into the darkness, as if she could pierce through the barriers and strike the murderer through will alone.

"Well, can it be done?" rumbled Zhao, his urgent growl carrying through the walls. There was a pause, and then some quiet mutterings from the other speaker. "Speak up, Ling!"

"It could be done, sir, but there are no guarantees." There was a faint nasal whine to the speaker's voice that grated on Yue's ears. As the other man started to explain – something about the risks of planted explosives – Zuko began to crawl forward once more, the man's meandering speech offering cover to their movements. Yue gritted her teeth and followed after, Aang at her heels. She wanted nothing more than to kill that scum, but as long as a wall remained between them, forward she would go. She'd show Zhao the true risks of "planted explosives."

"You must understand," continued Ling, "that the _Exterminator_ is much more formidable than the last ship those men destroyed for you. With the moon dead and rebels everywhere, security is much tighter -"

"I know this!" snarled Zhao. "The Fire Lord is far more paranoid than her idiot brother. That's why there must be no chance of mistake. It was only the ship last time!"

Once again, Zuko brought them to a halt. Aang crashed into Yue with a quiet "ooph!" They all froze.

"Sir, that is why – "

"Silence!"

Yue tensed. Was he ordering his agent silent because he didn't want to be denied, or because he had heard them? She raised her hand to wear the boomerang hung from her belt and readied the draw. If a fight was what Zhao wanted, she would deliver it in kind. The silence stretched on.

"Admiral – "

"I said silence!" he hissed. "There are pigeonrats in these walls."

"It's a ship, of course there are pigeonrats, sir. Sir – !"

That was the only warning they had before the shaft in front of her exploded with a scream of metal. Not waiting for a second blast, she hurled herself over the jagged red-hot edges and launched her boomerang. It missed Zhao, but struck the weasel on the head on its return. He crashed to the ground, stunned, as Yue rolled to a halt in front of Zhao.

"Pigeonrats rarely are so big," snarled Zhao, his right hand raised up with fire at the ready. "I believe the prisoner is about to be executed while escaping. I will apologize personally to the Fire Lord for the inconvenience."

Yue glared up at him and groped for her weapon, not daring to take her eyes off him. As Zhao unleashed the inferno, Zuko leapt down in front of her, batting the flames away with his swords.

"You!"

"Me," grunted Zuko, moving to the attack. Yue dove to the side and groped for her weapon. The instant the ivory greeted her fingertips, she darted up – and immediately flattened herself against the wall as Zhao and Zuko fought, fire to sword.

Zhao hadn't bothered to put a shirt on for his clandestine meeting, and she smiled at the long thin cuts that dripped red from Zuko's swords.

"It was only a matter of time before you came back for revenge," taunted Zhao as he raised a wall of flame between them, forcing Zuko back in the close quarters. He flicked his eyes to where Yue stood. "Though at last your decision to turn traitor finally makes sense. Took that betrothal too much to heart, I see. Is this why you refused your chance at my glorious fleet?" He leered, and that was enough for Yue to raise her boomerang and aim, only for the shot to be spoiled when Zuko spun forward, the sweep of his blades banishing the flame wall into nothingness.

"Get out of my way," she snarled. "Let me kill the bastard!"

"He blew up my ship!" he shouted back, his swords now blocked by the naginata Zhao had snatched from a crossed pair on the wall.

"Only because you refused to obey your orders!" bellowed Zhao. "What loyal son of the Fire Nation would reject the chance to destroy her enemies once and for all?" Yue took the chance and launched her shot.

"You're right. I should have killed you when I had the chance!" Zuko jumped and brought his swords down for a killing strike, only to turn them into a block when the boomerang intersected his path. It ricocheted off the blade and Yue was forced to lunge in order to catch it again.

"But you were a coward then, just as you are now. You couldn't even stomach the idea of killing one man, let alone a city full of them."

"Believe me," said Zuko harshly, "I've learned since then."

Zhao sneered and raised his naginata once more. Yue threw her weapon again, hoping the third time was the charm, only to watch as Zhao pitched forward before it even came near him, his eyes rolling up in his head. Her boomerang completed a neat arc in the empty space where he had been and returned to her waiting hand. Behind him Aang landed on the ground in a crouch, the mate to Zhao's naginata in his hands. Yue had forgotten that the Avatar was even there.

"Uh, guys?" Aang said, "I think we need to go now."

Yue blinked. She realized they were standing in half-destroyed VIP quarters. Somebody must have heard something. Beside her, Zuko cursed as he came to a similar realization. But there were no running footsteps that warned of oncoming trouble. Maybe Zhao's paranoia would serve a good purpose after all.

What she needed would only take an extra moment anyway. She dropped beside the prone body of the admiral and grabbed him by his topknot, the better to raise the head and expose the throat. She drew the knife he had sheathed at his belt and calculated the best angle for minimal mess.

"What – what are you doing?" asked Aang.

"Finishing the job," Yue said as she positioned the blade just so.

"But he can't fight back!"

"Neither could the moon."

Before Yue could break skin, the butt end of a naginata intercepted her knife. Aang looked down at her, disappointment radiating from him. "Not like this." She knocked the naginata aside, but Aang whipped it around and sent the knife clattering to the floor. "Don't be like him," he said quietly.

"We don't have time for this," Zuko said, sheathing his swords. "Aang, we have to go. Now."

"Not unless Yue promises not to kill him."

"Aang …"

Yue glared at the boy. Who was he to stop her from taking the vengeance that her people so rightfully cried out for? Aang met her eyes calmly. He knew precisely who he was to make such a distinction. She cursed and picked up her knife. Under the Avatar's gaze, she turned the blade away and sliced the nearby bedding into ribbons. "I swear by the Avatar that when Zhao dies, it will be with his eyes open." Even if I have to open them myself, she muttered silently while she made quick work of binding the legs and wrists of the two unconscious men.

"Great. Now let's go!" Zuko yanked her to her feet and pushed Aang towards the warped hole in the wall they'd fallen through. "The boiler room can't be far from here. And we're running out of time."

* * *

Zuko took them on a breakneck pace through the tunnels, all too aware that as soon as Zhao was discovered, so were they. He'd breathe easier, too, if they'd ended Zhao then and there, but he'd recognized Aang's stubbornness for the time-consuming trouble that it was. Why did the kid have to have such a conscience? As they neared the hatch outside the boiler room, he pushed such worries from his mind. Bigger problems were about to await them.

Zuko pressed his ear against the metal for any sounds of activity on the other side. There was definitely someone out there, but it didn't sound like there could be too many. Perhaps three or four workers near the entrance of the boiler room. He could already feel the heat. Zuko looked over his shoulder and gestured for his companions to get ready.

Zuko pulled himself back and kicked the hatch open, bursting into the – boiler room?

Two men looked up from the long table where they stood, chopping vegetables. Behind them, the head cook stood guard over a pot of rice, using his bending to maintain the temperature.

Yue and Aang tumbled out beside him. All the players stood there frozen for a second.

"Uh … "

One of the men at the table hefted his knife. Zuko became very aware of how large a chopping knife was. And how sharp.

The head cook's right hand suddenly cupped a ball of fire.

"You!" he shouted.

"Me?" said Zuko. He could feel Yue's tense grip on his arm. They started edging back towards the maintenance hatch. Great. More people on this ship knew where they were.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Err," Zuko groped for an answer. "Maintenance? Someone reported a leak …?"

"The plumber fixed that two days ago! Get out!" commanded the cook. He waved the fireball threateningly. "I run a clean galley; do you know how many health codes you're violating?"

Zuko realized how the three of them looked and smelled. He bowed deeply. "Sorry for the confusion," he gasped out before running back to the hatch. Aang and Yue had already scrambled back inside and were hightailing it down the corridor as fast as they could crawl.

"You should be!" shouted the head cook just before Zuko jerked the hatch shut. He could hear the man ordering the staff to disinfect everywhere the "filthy miscreants" had stood.

"I thought you said that was the boiler room!" hissed Yue.

"I thought it was!" he snapped. What the hell had happened? That was where the boiler room had been on _his_ ship. It wasn't supposed to change!

"That's just great," Yue sniped as they hurried to who knows where. Away. Away was good. "Now we're even more lost."

"Listen, if you didn't have me, you'd be dead by now." Zuko tried to peer through the darkness to glare at her. And Aang, for good measure. Aang had gotten him into this mess, Aang had wanted to rescue Yue, and it was Aang had stopped them from killing Zhao.

"At least I wouldn't stink like a cesspool."

"That was your idea, not mine." Zuko struggled to think what could have gone wrong. The answer was there, he just had to find it. Why had they ended up at the galley instead of the boiler room? Where was it before –

He cursed. Of course. That was it. "They reversed them," he said. "Galley and boiler."

"Doesh that mean you know where it ish now?" asked Aang around a mouthful of something. Zuko narrowed his eyes at his charge.

"Aang!"

The kid swallowed. "Oh, would you like some?" Aang threw something small and round towards Zuko. "I snagged some dragonheart fruit before we ran. It's really good!"

"You were thinking of food at a time like this?"

"Your uncle always says breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Aang said earnestly. "And I was hungry. Would you like some, Princess Yue?"

"I would love some. How very thoughtful of you, Aang," she said with manners fit for court society. Though there was still a touch of frost in her voice. At least she was starting to appreciate the number of ways the kid could derail a plan.

Zuko had enough of this. "Tea party's over," he barked. "And we're going that way." He started crawling towards the leftmost tunnel. With the fruit in hand, of course. No reason to waste good food.

"And is that the right way, _this _time?" called the princess from behind him.

"Why yes, your highness." He hadn't thought anyone could annoy him quite as much as Aang, but apparently, he'd been wrong. At least Aang _pretended_ to listen to him. Well, sometimes.

"Excuse me, _your highness_," Yue shot back, "I just wanted to be sure."

Zuko resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall. Weren't people supposed to be grateful when you rescued them? He crawled forward, ignoring Aang's echoing query for reassurance. If the kid had wanted to be sure of anything, he shouldn't have dragged him on this mission in the first place.

* * *

Azula bit into the dragonheart fruit her aide had procured. Red juice dribbled down her chin, which she brushed away delicately. Beside her, said aide rattled off the status of the situation as they proceeded down the corridor.

" – we believe that after exiting the sewage tank, the targets made their way to a starboard maintenance hatch and have dispersed through the ship from there."

She turned and raised an expectant eyebrow at the man. He hurried to continue. "Of course, my lord, a portion of the troops immediately entered the tunnels in search of the intruders, but given how complex they are, it will be best to be prepared at the points they are most likely to emerge. I've sent men to guard what I believe to be key exit points. And the patrols are continuing the search pattern as previously designated, as well."

Azula nodded and continued marching along. The success that her brother, the rebel princess, and the unknown boy had experienced so far was unpleasant. Her mind whirred as she considered the possible routes the three could take. Was their goal escape or sabotage? She hadn't had a chance yet to fully interrogate that rebel – was this whole matter part of an elaborate plot against her? The rebels allow their leader to be captured; they send someone with some knowledge to follow after, and then what? And why had she heard nothing of her brother's change in loyalties? Azula hadn't thought Zuko would ever stand openly against the Fire Nation. It would soil his precious honor.

" – and Admiral Zhao wishes a word with you, my lord."

Azula carefully controlled her expression at the news. "Does he now?" She flicked the core of the fruit away. The aide neatly caught it. He was proving surprisingly competent, Azula noted. What was his name? Ah, yes. "Lieutenant Jiro, tell the admiral to meet me in my office. And increase the guards by the engines. If sabotage is their plan, I want to be ready."

"As you wish, my lord." Jiro bowed and ran off to obey.

Azula briskly made her way to her office. It would have been impossible to keep Zhao from knowing about her little problem, but she had hoped to keep him in the dark as long as possible. He might do something like insist on _helping_ and that would not do. Zhao had his uses, but when it came to as delicate a matter as intruders on her own ship, his preference for blunt force would be problematic. The man never used a stiletto when a catapult was on hand.

* * *

Zuko couldn't believe he had mistaken the galley for the boiler room. Now this was the heat and sounds of a boiler room in action. Even on the other side of the hatch, he could smell the coal and the sweat of the workers. It was a vast improvement over sewage. _Or_ rotting fish.

He motioned to Aang and Yue that this was the right place. Yue shifted, bringing her boomerang to hand. Zuko murmured to Aang to hang back. His spear was long abandoned, and this was the worst place for a novice firebender to let loose. That knocked their attack power down by one, but Zuko hoped to have surprise on their side.

He kicked the hatch open and leapt out in one smooth motion, landing in a crouch with his swords crossed. Three men, shirts stripped off, manned the coal shovels and it was on them that Zuko focused his attention. They turned from their work, swinging their shovels into action.

Zuko sprang at the man nearest to him when Yue shouted, "Behind you!"

He turned the spring into a roll as a spear hissed by his ear. On either side of the hatch was a full complement of soldiers. Surprise was definitely _not_ on his side. Zuko made a few quick mental calculations as he moved into defense. Five to his left, five to the right, and three in front.

Zuko took a moment to pray Yue was the absolute master of the boomerang before he threw himself into battle. Retreat was not an option. He kicked a bucket of coal at the workman in the middle – catching him in the face and sending coal dust flying into the eyes of the man next to him – and threw himself at the soldiers.

There was one soldier shouting for their surrender but Zuko ignored him. Either a miracle occurred and they escaped, or he was dying right here. Better at the hands of an honest warrior than at his sister's feet. He hoped Aang was happy with the fate he had wrought.

Zuko moved his twin blades in unison, weaving in and out of his enemies' spears. The soldiers were armored, granting them protection even when he slipped through defenses and managed a strike. But as he knew well, that same armor restricted movement and vision, which could be its saving grace in these stifling hot close quarters.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko saw Aang discover that same advantage. The kid had scavenged a thrown spear, snapping off the spear-head and whirled about the circle of soldiers surrounding him. As they closed in on him, he simply launched himself into the air, using their own bodies to push off against and strike from above. Two men rushed him at once, only for him to take off once again so that they instead crashed into each other. Yue's boomerang sliced through the air and Aang twisted his body mid-flight, allowing the weapon to strike true at the enormous worker looming behind him.

The blow of a spearshaft against his ribs reminded Zuko of his immediate problems. He doubled over, winded from the knock, but managed the presence of mind to cross his blades in a block for the following strike. He snapped the swords like scissors, slicing the shaft in two before turning to kick the soldier in the chest, sending him reeling.

Zuko moved to finish him, only to halt as a blast of fire soared by his head. He flipped to face the new threat, scanning for which soldier left standing had decided to bring firebending into this fight. Any stray flame _here_ could be fatal to everyone.

"I order you to surrender in the Phoenix King's name!" shouted the bender. He'd taken his faceplate off and his eyes were wild.

"You _idiot_," shouted the man beside him. "You can't firebend here. You'll kill us all!"

"I will not fail the Fire Lord. I cannot." Fire blazed in the bender's palm. He shouted, "Drop your weapons!"

A boomerang arced through the air and struck him on the shoulder. The firebender barely wavered in response. Yue shouted from her cover by the coal bins, "We will never surrender! Your king is an abomination unto this entire world and should rot in hell for all eternity!"

"Yeah, what she said!" called Aang from his perch atop the coal bins. Zuko got very worried at the intensely earnest expression on Aang's face. He knew that look. Aang was about to –

"But doesn't _have_ to be this way," Aang pleaded. "This whole war is wrong and if you would just listen to me – "

"I will not betray my king!" The bender whipped his arm around and thrust his hand forward. Fire bloomed from his palm and headed towards Aang. The kid jumped away, but the sheer force of the man's anger sent the fireball careening into the bin behind him, hurling it into the abandoned furnace as the flames blew out the control bank. The pressure gauges went haywire, and an alarm whistle went off, followed by another. And another.

Everyone froze for a second, and then started running.

Zuko was halfway down the main access corridor, dragging Aang by the wrist behind him. Just ahead, Yue was already elbowing soldiers out of their way when he heard the first explosions. There was a rush of heat, and then everything went black.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:

Azula leaned back in her chair. It was always important to give the correct impression when meeting with underlings, especially ones as ambitious as Zhao. She cultivated an air of supreme confidence for when the admiral walked in.

Which he did, just a minute later than she had requested, but not so much it was insubordinate. If she did not have information he wanted, Azula knew he would have pushed his limits a little further and been even tardier. Though given the unsteadiness to his step, perhaps his lateness was less intentional than she had thought. Interesting.

"Admiral Zhao, I understand you wished to see me?"

"It's always an honor to be in your presence," he said with a bow. The admiral's cap he wore stayed firmly on, but didn't succeed in hiding the bruised skin at his crown. Did he think flattery would distract her from noticing? "But as soon as I heard about the matter of Yue's escape, I had to offer the services of myself and my men to help."

"Don't worry. I already took the liberty of ordering them to join the search." Azula smiled thinly. "I knew that your only desire would be to aid in the recovery of a notorious rebel."

Zhao's returning smile was just as thin, a polite mask over barely restrained anger. He was full of surprises today. "I live to serve my king."

"And Fire Lord, of course."

"Of course." Azula watched Zhao stroke his scar in an overdone pantomime of thoughtfulness. She found that affectation irritating, given it was his own foolishness that had led to such an unsightly mark. Really, what had he expected after killing the Moon Spirit? Some days she was tempted to finish the job the water tribesmen had started. Removing waterbenders was not worth an erratic ocean. After the appropriate time had passed, he looked up once more to state, "However, I did hear the most unusual rumor about Yue's escape."

"Really?" Azula made a careful notation on the requisition order in front of her. "What is it that the men have been saying?" And who was he trying to blame so she'd make an example of them? It seemed far more likely he'd had his own run-in with that pack of troublemakers. Just in case, though, she'd pick an appropriate scapegoat. Letting him think he'd won a round was so important for his morale.

"That her escape was facilitated by none other than your brother himself." Zhao's glee was quite detestable. "They were engaged, weren't they?"

"Years ago. The ministers who recommended it are no longer in office." The removal of that peace-mongering lot had been one of her father's first changes. She didn't understand why Grandfather had even allowed them to exist in the first place. "It is of little consequence. It's really quite accommodating of him. After all, he's been running free ever since your botched assassination attempt." The color Zhao was turning was quite pleasing, Azula noted with a smile. It went with the wall hangings rather nicely. "I look forward to finishing the job."

"Provided you can catch him."

"That won't be a problem. I know how he thinks and I've patrols waiting – "

There was a muffled roar. The ship jerked and rolled, sending the papers on her desk flying. The mirror she hung on the wall crashed to the floor, shattering. Azula lurched to her feet, clutching the desk with both hands.

Zhao looked up from his tumble on the floor. "No problems, eh?"

She sneered at the man and ran towards the door, shouting to Jiro for a report.

* * *

The explosion knocked Yue off her feet, and she hit the floor with a jarring impact. Zuko collapsed on top of her, unconscious, and she struggled under his dead weight, straining to see what was happening. There was a rush of pressure and heat all around her, but no pain. Yue craned her neck up from where she lay on the floor, partially shielded by Zuko's body. Above her was Aang. The Avatar.

Gone was the boy she had just begun to know. His eyes were gray no more, but instead glowed with an intense blue light. He moved his hands in a complex pattern, bending the power of the explosion around them. The air rippled and picked them up. Yue clung to Zuko as the corridor roared past them. The Avatar's bending held them in a cocoon and guided them away. Soldiers cried out as they rushed past them, knocking them aside. They gently came to rest by a staircase.

The Avatar turned to look at her and spoke. It was the voice of a young boy – of a _thousand_ young boys, of old men and young girls and old women, and it echoed through the hallway. Yue was surprised by the rush of fear she felt at the sound. Those glowing eyes widened and he said, "What are you doing here? You don't belong here…"

The glow faded and he collapsed, becoming just a boy once more.

Yue raised a hand to her lips. She could feel how fast her heart was beating and the rush of blood in her ears. But now was not the time to fall apart. Even if she had witnessed something awesome or awful or –

She shook herself and got to work. Neither of her companions was responding and she needed at least one awake to help with the other. Yue focused her attentions on reviving Zuko. He'd been knocked out by the explosion, but it was his knowledge she needed right now. And Aang needed to rest. She tried not to think of the real reasons for her reluctance. The legends neglected to mention how inhuman the Avatar State seemed.

He stirred once she waved a particularly pungent strip of cloth under his nose. Apparently their sewage bath was good for something.

Zuko groaned as he came to. Yue gave him a sharp shake and slapped him once across the face. She did not have time for this. He opened his eyes. "What happened?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head and wincing.

"We survived. Aang's still out. We need to move."

Zuko staggered to his feet. The unburned side of his face held a greenish cast in the dim light. "Run that by me again?"

"You're not dead, I'm not dead, Aang's not dead, and if we want to keep it that way, it's time to get to the 'find a lifeboat' plan."

From the sour expression on his face, Yue knew Zuko wasn't happy with her summation. Or maybe he was about to throw up. But he stopped arguing and with a grunt, lifted Aang onto his shoulders. After taking a moment to adjust the weight, he lurched in one direction. Yue could only hope it was the right one.

* * *

It was a credit to her crew that the destruction of a substantial portion of the engine room did not sink the ship. The _Exterminator_ would have to limp back to port, and it was a blessing that they were not as far out to sea as they could be. Incapacitated Fire Nation ships rarely came back. None of this good news pleased Azula as she arrived at the scene. She demanded the bare minimum of competence in self-preservation from her men. But she expected excellence.

To learn that most of the patrols had been suspended in response to this incident displeased her.

"So," she said the unfortunate soul who had informed her of this, "you decided to focus on petty concerns rather than go after those craven saboteurs? I wonder at your loyalties, Captain Akira."

Akira began to stutter protests of his innocence. As amusing as it was to see a man as tough as the battle-scarred, barrel-bodied captain be reduced to incoherence, the whole scene was tiresome and unproductive. She began to idly trace her fingers through the air.

"My lord," interrupted Jiro. Azula glared at the one who dared disturb her. The tall, thin man bowed. "My lord, you must hear this."

She considered the hapless captain a moment and the urgency in Jiro's voice. Akira had not only ordered all hands to put out the fires and prepare for evacuation, but he'd run into the flames himself to pull out the wounded. The men likely held him up as some sort of hero by now. She made a mental note to dispose of him later in a more discreet setting and followed Jiro into a quiet corner.

"What is it?"

"I've a report of great interest for you," he murmured. Every line in his body suggested a most valuable intrigue. "Some of the men report that the unknown boy bent the explosion around himself and his companions. While glowing."

"Really?" Azula considered this information. The identity of the third member had troubled her with its nonsensicalness. What fool would bring a child on a mission such as this? Even accounting for her brother's stupidity, it made no sense. But if there was something special about the boy …

"There are also reports of him controlling the air," added Jiro. "One man says the glowing boy was the one who protected the intruders from the explosion and even guided them away."

"There's a word for such an individual." _Avatar_. And if he really existed, then there was only one course of action open to Azula. "I want the boy captured. Alive, if possible, but dead if necessary."

"Indeed, my lord. I will send the patrols out at once."

"They'll be headed somewhere they can escape from. Send them to the landing craft locations. They will report to me there. It's time I take care of this personally. And Jiro – "

"Yes, my lord?"

"There's no need to spread speculation about."

"Of course, my lord."

Azula smiled. The Avatar indeed. It seemed her brother had succeeded, even after all these years. She wondered if their father really would offer forgiveness if presented with such a gift. It was unlikely, but she saw no reason to take chances. All three prizes belonged to her this time: the rebel, her brother, and the Avatar. Zhao and his dead fish and his fancy new command would pale next to that accomplishment.

* * *

Yue knew now that freedom had a taste. It was the tang of salt in the bite of a cold ocean wind. She wanted to pause and drink it in, but it wasn't time for that yet. They still needed to cross the deck and launch the little dinghy that Zuko had proclaimed was their ticket out of here. She followed him to crouch by a tarp-covered catapult, and peered around the edge.

A small group of soldiers stood at attention beside the landing craft. They looked depressingly fresh and alert. She fingered her boomerang and considered her options. Even with perfect aim, Yue doubted that she could take out more than one or two before they scattered and attacked. She still had Zhao's knife, but if they came close enough she could use it, she had already lost. Open spaces like this favored the most dangerous and aggressive firebending techniques. The slim advantage she'd enjoyed before was gone.

Yue turned to see how her companion was handling this setback. He continued to study the scene with the intensity she had come to expect from him. As exhausted as she was, Yue knew Zuko must be even more so. Aang hadn't stirred once during their long run to the top and Zuko had carried him the entire way despite his injuries, setting a pace she'd struggled to match. They were at the end of their resources: they'd gotten farther than she had ever expected, but still stalled at this final step. The enemy could just call up new reserves while they made do with nothing, as it had been for the entire history of the rebellion.

"I don't suppose you have any more tricks left?" she murmured to him. At least she'd seen the _Exterminator _damaged. The ship listed to one side, making for uneven footing.

He shook his head in response, still scanning the deck. Yue's heart sank. All that was left now was to take as many Fire Nation soldiers down with her as she could. She wondered what would be kinder to Aang – return him to the cycle, or hope that he was captured and fought another day? She moved to draw her boomerang when Zuko's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Yue tried to pull away, but his grip was too tight.

"Can you carry Aang and run?" he whispered, still focused on whatever had caught his eye.

Yue looked at the unconscious boy. The delicate princess she once was could not have carried him, but the woman she was now could. Perhaps not as far as Zuko, but Yue doubted that was a problem. She only needed to cover the width of the deck, one way or another. Yue whispered an affirmative back.

"Good. When I give the signal, take him and run to the farthest dinghy. Cast off however you can, and _row_." He cut her off the instant she began to protest. "I'll follow if I can. Just get Aang out of here."

Yue nodded. Aang's safety should be paramount. She led the rebellion, but it would go on after her. The Avatar was a different story. If her people knew the Avatar had returned, nothing could stand against them. But Zuko didn't know that, or likely even care. "Why?" Why had he come here? Why was he risking everything to save Aang, to save her?

He sighed. "I honestly don't know."

Before Yue moved to pull Aang onto her shoulders, she darted forward and kissed Zuko on the cheek. "For luck," she said when he turned to her in surprise. "I wouldn't have minded being engaged for longer than five minutes."

"We were three," he said, drawing his blades.

"It could have lasted until we were four."

He tossed her a wry smile. She returned it. She'd known real love before, but something in her heart stung at the image of a future that never was. It wasn't this exiled prince – though he had his charms – but it was the dream of peace. No war between Fire and Water, no devastation, only unity and growth. Yue hefted Aang onto her shoulders, mindful that the chance for such a future was now literally her burden to bear.

If only Aang would wake up. They needed that terrifying power now.

Zuko sprang to the top of the covered catapult, balanced carefully, and shouted down to the men standing guard. The soldiers stiffened and turned their attention his way, dropping into firebending stances.

Yue prepared to run.

* * *

Zuko wondered if insanity was catching. There was no guarantee the sails he had spotted belonged to the _Hawkbat,_ yet herehe was making himself a target in broad daylight on the off chance that a woman he'd never met before would successfully escape with the kid who'd gotten him into this mess in the first place. It went against every principle he'd held himself to over the last ten years.

It felt good.

He braced himself for the attack, certain that the soldiers would fire immediately. If he succeeded in dodging them, he'd be in position to leap into their numbers and distract the enemy until Yue and Aang were free.

But the soldiers did not press the attack as he thought they would. Instead, the men parted, allowing the woman behind them to step through.

Azula. She was immaculately dressed, her red robes cut for ease of movement, with fitted armor on top. She used to disdain the use of armor, he remembered, claiming it was for the weak and insecure. He wondered who had taught her otherwise.

"Very nice, Zuzu, but it ends here. Where's the rebel and the boy?"

Zuko did not move and he willed Yue below to do the same. Well, he had intended to cause a distraction. He knew Azula liked to toy with her prey first, and that she enjoyed an audience. That could work to his advantage.

"They died in the explosion," he said. "I left their bodies behind. Maybe you didn't notice them, mixed in with all the other corpses."

Azula smiled. "Nice try. Even if I didn't have witnesses to your rather miraculous escape, you've never been a good liar." She motioned to her men. "Spread out. They're somewhere near here."

Zuko jumped down and rolled to his feet. In his most royal voice, he commanded, "Stop."

There was the slightest hesitation among the men. Zuko was surprised they had reacted at all. On a whim, he added, "Your Fire Lord commands it!"

That did not sit well with Azula. She turned her head sharply towards him. "_I_ am the Fire Lord. _You_ are the traitorous whelp I hadn't yet been troubled enough to kill." Her eyes narrowed. "Until now."

Zuko straightened his shoulders. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Yue scurry from the cover of one catapult to another. He threw his lot in with this half-formed plan. "_I_ am the rightful heir to the throne. _You_ are the pretender."

"_You_ were exiled and disinherited," sneered Azula. The soldiers watched her, making no move to continue their search. "Father, the _Phoenix King_, gave the crown to me. He doesn't even recognize your existence."

"I don't recognize his," Zuko said, matching Azula as they circled one another. "Phoenix King is a trumped-up title for a madman who won't rest until he destroys everything in his path." He forged ahead. "But the true throne is open and it is mine. I challenge you, the false Fire Lord, to an Agni Kai."

"I am going to kill you," hissed Azula. "And it is going to be long and painful."

"Then you accept?" Yue was almost there, Zuko noted. He gave his sister another push. "Or are you someone who can only be _given_ a title?"

Azula moved into a combat stance. "I am going to enjoy this. I've been looking forward to this for a long time."

"I bet you have," said Zuko, and immediately fired.

Azula lazily stepped to the side, and the first knives of flame flew towards him. He'd been expecting that and rolled to his left. The soldiers now formed a ring around him and his sister, their attention focused solely on them. It had worked. Now to make this worthwhile.

"I would expect nothing less," he continued. Zuko moved from defense to offense, sending a fire whip towards her feet. "Honor means nothing to you!"

Azula skipped over the whip like a little girl. The intense blue of her trademark flames blazed in her hands. "Honor is a crutch for the weak."

Zuko blocked her powerful onslaught. "And that is why you never should have been Fire Lord."

He hoped Yue had made it to safety as he prepared to attack once more.

* * *

There went the most suicidally brave man she had ever known. Yue sprinted up the incline to her escape craft, grateful for Zuko's sacrifice. Even for Azula, family grudges rated higher than any other concern. And that fact gave their plan a fighting chance.

Yue struggled to remain quiet as she lowered her burden into the bed of the dinghy. Aang began to stir, his eyelids fluttering. Yue murmured soft words to him as she eased away, focused on finishing this escape. With care she positioned the craft to make the drop into the ocean, and from there, freedom.

She'd been lucky so far; all they needed was a few more minutes.

Her luck gave out.

From behind her, Yue heard the shouts as some sharp-eyed Fire Nation soldier noticed what she was up to. It was followed by a flamestrike that she barely avoided. Yue gripped the dinghy and vaulted inside for cover. Over the sound of the strikes thudding dully against the hull, she heard Azula shouting orders to capture them alive.

Before Azula could give more orders, Zuko renewed his assault, shouting that _he_ was her opponent. From resounding crackle of flames, the Fire Lord was well occupied again. But the soldiers were more than enough to worry Yue.

She drew her boomerang and peered over the edge. Two soldiers approached without taking cover behind any of the other dinghies, and she took full advantage of the opening. The high ground was hers.

"For the Moon!" she shouted, catching the one on the left in the neck, right in the gap between armor. He clutched his throat and the weapon returned to her blooded.

She twisted to aim at the other soldier, but he had already begun to launch a fireball. She ducked without throwing. Heat passed over her head.

Aang chose that moment to let out a loud moan. Yue looked down and saw the boy open his eyes.

"What's going on?" he asked, trying to sit up.

Yue yanked him back down before a fireball could take his head off. "Escape," she told him while craning her neck to peer over the edge, boomerang at ready. "You've been out since you left the Avatar State."

Aang blinked. He suddenly looked very worried. "Where's Zuko? He didn't –"

"He was out cold," she said. "He's distracting the rest of the guards now." A soldier darted out from his cover behind a catapult, clearly preparing to firebend, and Yue sent her weapon flying, targeting the join of his shoulder plates. He moved in time, taking the blow on his armor. Yue cursed as her boomerang ricocheted off in the wrong direction, clattering uselessly on the deck twenty feet away. She turned to Aang urgently. "Can you do that – what you did in the boiler room – again?"

As frightening as that had been, Yue knew that was better than what they faced. The queer turn she'd felt at the Avatar's words would be nothing compared to recapture.

Aang frantically shook his head. "I don't think it works like –"

Fire roared over their heads. They both ducked.

Yue froze. That came from the wrong direction!

Aang scrambled to the opposite side of the boat and looked over. "It's Iroh!" he shouted triumphantly.

Iroh?

Yue hurried to see their new ally. Bobbing up and down in the sea was a battered old sailing ship with an old man standing on her deck. He wore the clothing of a fisherman, but there was no mistaking the stance of a firebender. She did not doubt he had the power to send their attackers scurrying for cover. Given how damaged the _Exterminator_ was, there was little chance they could bring the catapults to bear and even the odds.

The old man caught her gaze and shouted, "Hurry! We don't have much time!"

Yue nodded sharply. She eyed the distance between them and the sailing vessel. It was farther than she would have liked, but beggars couldn't choose. She prepared herself to jump into the water and swim to safety. On the other side, Iroh threw out the ropes, ready to reel them in.

She turned to Aang to make sure he went first, only to discover he was running back towards the action. He snatched her boomerang off the deck and lobbed it over his shoulder, calling for Zuko. She snagged it out of the air and sprinted after Aang, grabbing him by the waist. Yue pivoted towards the edge and struggled to carry her charge along.

"We need to get Zuko!" Aang cried as he thrashed about her arms. "Look!"

Yue risked a glance over her shoulder. Azula was advancing on Zuko, whose fire whips twisted with a lackluster flame in comparison to her blue-hot daggers. He lashed out with two strikes only for her to easily dodge both. Azula threw several flame daggers in quick succession. Zuko scrambled to avoid them and barely managed to block the last one in time.

Aang pushed against her. "We can't leave him!"

Yue shook him sharply. "We need to escape. Zuko made his choice so we could have a chance; now accept it and jump!"

They were almost at the edge. Yue moved to pull Aang close and leap overboard, only for the boy to wriggle out of her grasp. Aang bolted towards the battle, a look of fierce concentration on his face. He had snatched one of the dinghy's oars and held it like a staff, whirling away at the flames the soldiers sent his way.

"ZUKO!"

The commotion drew Azula's attention from her onslaught against her brother. Yue's heart stopped at the calculating expression on the other woman's face. Zuko forgotten, the Fire Lord dismissed her flames and began to trace another pattern with her fingertips. Sparks crackled through the air.

Aang either did not notice or did not care about the danger he had placed himself in, for he spun about dealing with the soldiers. Zuko saw what his sister was up to and tried to act. Yue knew he'd never reach her in time. While he pulled himself up, Yue's boomerang left her hand and soared towards the target. Azula took aim at her unwary victim with care, the lightning answering to her will.

The boomerang struck her on the back of the head. She jerked forward, and the gathered energy shot out harmlessly over the water. Azula straightened and began screaming for her guards, only to collapse when Zuko struck her with the hilt of his joined swords.

Zuko ran forwards. "Get clear!" he shouted to Yue. "I'll get Aang!"

Yue sheathed her returned weapon and called back, "We go together!"

She didn't hear his response but readied herself in return. Zuko picked up his pace, having found a second (or third, or fourth, at this point) wind in the defeat of Azula. He came upon Aang's battle with the last guard standing and ended it at sword point.

Before Aang could say more than, "You're okay!" Zuko had grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the ship's railing by Yue. Ignoring his cries, she and Zuko unceremoniously pitched him over the side, and they both followed, leaping off the rail. Yue hit the water with a crash and flailed her arms to stop her descent before kicking to the surface. Zuko's head popped up a second later, sputtering, and the three of them began swimming to the other ship, latching onto the rope for Iroh to pull them aboard. There were a few halfhearted strikes from the _Exterminator_, but they fizzled out harmlessly in the air, or fell short and struck the empty water.

Yue collapsed on the deck of this new ship, grateful for the fortune fate had given her. As soon as they boarded, Iroh set sail away from the stranded battleship.

"Uncle," gasped Zuko, "you came. I thought I saw you, but I wanted it to be true so much I wasn't sure."

The old man said calmly from his post, "Of course I was there, nephew. I know you, after all. Where trouble goes, you follow." He eyed Aang and Yue and his lips quirked up. "Or perhaps the other way around. But at least you brought Aang back safely, and even picked up a friend along the way. I'm impressed."

"I didn't do it to impress you," Zuko said. He had pulled himself upright and sat there sopping wet on the deck, his expression somewhere between sheer relief and a glower.

"That doesn't change the fact that I am."

Yue noticed that Zuko ducked his head and blushed, not that it stopped him from muttering a remark about smug old men. Iroh nodded his head once in acknowledgement, but otherwise continued to sail on.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

While they sailed away from Azula's flagship, Iroh introduced himself to their newest passenger with a flourish.

"As you may have gathered, I am Iroh. Are you, perhaps, Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe?"

"I am. _General_ Iroh, correct?"

"That is a title I once held, though these days it is a mere formality. Though I must say it is a great honor to have a lady of your caliber aboard our humble ship, even if the circumstances of your arrival are so unusual. Don't you agree, nephew?"

Zuko grunted his response. He was much more concerned with getting upright on the deck than his uncle's sudden turn towards courtly manners.

"I see that he does not take after his uncle in matters of eloquent conversation," Yue observed.

"Some days it seems that way," Iroh agreed before returning to the business of sailing the ship. While he worked, he brought them up to speed on his adventures.

His uncle had remained with the _Hawkbat_ after Zuko had left in search of Aang and had successfully completed the transaction with Brock – "Though I fear, nephew, with you missing, Brock shorted us a bit more in payment" – and once the toughs Brock employed had left, he had waited for Zuko and Aang's return. When dawn came without their presence, Iroh confessed to being quite concerned (Zuko noticed that for Iroh, Aang managed a contrite expression) and when he saw the _Exterminator_ head out to sea, he suspected that matters had taken a turn for the worse. On a gamble, he'd scattered fishing nets across the deck and followed the battleship as closely as he dared, hoping the Fire Nation soldiers would dismiss the appearance of another fishing boat in their wake.

"It is most fortunate I made such a decision," Iroh declared, "seeing what trouble my nephew and Aang found." He bowed to Yue. "Though given the fruits of their labors, I cannot hold my worries against them."

"I can," snapped Zuko. He glared at Aang, balanced on the railing and swinging his legs in the breeze. "That was an incredibly stupid and irresponsible thing you did. Running into the _Exterminator_ without a plan, expecting me to follow – "

"Of course," his uncle remarked dryly while he continued to steer the ship, "you have never behaved recklessly without thinking of the consequences."

"That's beside the point! Aang's need to be the hero almost got us all killed – "

Yue looked up from rebraiding her hair. "I would have died anyway. He saved me."

"Okay, besides Yue, Aang almost got us all killed – "

"You didn't have to follow," Aang pointed out reasonably. He scratched at the dirty cap on his head but didn't remove it. "Anyways, you were the one who made sure we got out alive." He brightened up a moment later. "That reminds me. Thank you."

Aang jumped off the railing, bowed, and threw his arms around him before he could dodge away. Zuko yelped from the force of the hug. Now that no one was trying to kill him, his body had time to make him painfully aware of the amount of damage he'd managed to accumulate. Aang noticed that something was wrong, because he let go and looked up with concern.

"Zuko! Are you hurt?"

After a few false starts, Zuko gingerly sat down on one of the deck's barrels. He probed his sides carefully, making note of every twinge. "It's not bad. I'll live."

Aang stared at him. His uncle, still at work on the sails, made a sound of dismay and directed Yue to the onboard medical kit. She fetched it and hurried over to begin cleaning the wound on his head. Zuko winced at her efforts.

Yue stopped poking to wave her hand in front of his face. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Uh…" He squinted at her hand. Zuko was fairly certain there were two fingers, but four was a definite possibility.

"Zuko," she said with exasperation. "This is bad. Why didn't you say something?"

"We were kind of busy!"

"You didn't exactly say something when we got out, did you? Were you waiting to fall over before mentioning you'd been beaten to a pulp?"

Iroh sighed. "My nephew often behaves as if sheer willpower is an adequate substitute for rest and good health."

Zuko wanted to point out that there hadn't been a lot of time between collapsing on the deck of the _Hawkbat_ and Aang's sudden need to crush whatever remained of his ribs. But he decided against mentioning that. Yue was holding tweezers.

Aang's eyes followed her every motion while she patched him up. "It really is my fault," he said quietly. "I brought you into this and then I made you do all the work. I should've – "

"Aang," interjected Yue. She swiped at a particularly nasty scrape on his forehead. "Go find some more clean water. And whatever passes for wine around here. I'm not sure if there's enough alcohol in this kit to disinfect everything."

Aang nodded and was about to run off, only to stop when Zuko called after him. He hated to see that sad look on the kid's face. A depressed Aang seemed like an affront to nature, even if it did make for a quiet, more obedient kid.

"What happened wasn't your fault," he told him, ignoring the little voice that screamed otherwise. "I made my choice. I was just angry because …" he trailed off, knowing what he wanted to say but unwilling to say it. He was angry because Aang had found it so easy do the right thing regardless of the consequences, when for ten years Zuko had refused to even try. His uncle had claimed he'd redefined his honor, but he had done nothing to live by those principles until this kid had appeared. Zuko swallowed and tried again. "I was angry not because I was in danger, but because you were." He cringed at how sappy that sounded. "And now you need to go and do what Yue told you before I say anything more pathetic."

Aang looked like he wanted to hug Zuko again, but he controlled himself and obeyed.

Yue dabbed at his head wound with a rag soaked in alcohol. Zuko hissed from the sting. Once Aang had disappeared from the deck, she spoke. Thankfully, she made no comment about what he had just confessed. Instead she asked, "Exactly where did you meet up with the – with Aang?"

"My uncle found him. I don't know the details, but for some reason the kid caught his eye when we were looking for help at Tart's Cove. Being who we are, reliable help is hard to come by, so I figured why the hell not?" Zuko snorted. "I didn't bet on a kid with a savior complex. No offense."

Yue yanked his hair just a little too hard. "None taken." She continued her ministrations with gentler hands. "Though I wonder where this situation now leaves us."

"Tell me about it," said Zuko with a sigh. "Azula was willing to let me live before. But now? I'll be lucky if I make it another month."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I've made it this far with Azula after me."

Zuko twisted so he could look at her. Yue's blue eyes met his without flinching. "You're just a challenge to her authority. A dangerous challenge, but nothing more than that. It's personal with me. And after what I did – "

"And what did you do?" asked Iroh from his position by the tiller. "You wouldn't have done something reckless, now would you?"

Zuko flushed. "I challenged her for the throne, uncle. In front of witnesses."

"Did you mean it?" Iroh watched him steadily. Zuko knew that voice. It was not his uncle's voice of censure (_Are you sure you wish to do that, Prince Zuko?_). It was his uncle's voice of concern and momentous import (_Regardless of what you choose, my boy, I will stay beside you_).

Did he mean it? Was he ready to stop running and take a stand against his father? And assuming he miraculously managed to win, what made him think he was the best choice to rule the Fire Nation? Besides being the least crazy member of his immediate family. It had been some time since Zuko studied political theory, but he was fairly certain that rulers needed to be held to a higher standard than 'sane.' Not that it would matter much. Zuko doubted he could assemble an army big enough to win against the entrenched Fire Nation, even if he could convince anyone to follow him in the first place.

"I see we are headed north," remarked Yue with nonchalance, when the silence stretched on for far too long.

"It seemed the wisest course of action. Rumor has it that the rebellion has a base near the coast," answered Iroh with a similar calm.

"Rumor can be surprisingly accurate."

Zuko rolled his eyes at their attempted subtleties, though he immediately regretted it when his head throbbed again. The pain just made him more annoyed.

"Listen," he said, standing up before they could offer up any more 'hints.' "Regardless of any challenges, we'll see this job through. So continue on your course for the rebel base, uncle. We have a princess to deliver to them."

"And whether or not there will be a prince along the ride?" asked Yue, one eyebrow raised in query.

"That's an answer for another day."

She bowed her head in agreement. "In that case, I thank you for your," she paused in search of the right word, "continued hospitality."

"You're welcome," Zuko grunted, before leaning against the railing, his attention turned back to the sea.

"I found some more water barrels and something I think is wine," Aang called out. He ran onto the deck with his arms full of various bottles. "It smells bad enough anyway. Though I guess it's not likely we can make ourselves smell worse, right?"

Zuko watched Aang hand his cargo over to Yue, chattering away about how hard it was to locate and how he wasn't sure if that was really wine and how he thought it might actually be vinegar and should he have looked for soap, too? Yue answered his questions with patience and moved to pull the cap off his head, sending Aang skittering backwards, wine bottles rolling across the deck. The two of them tussled for a moment before Yue threw up her arms in frustration over stubborn boys and grabbed him by the ear. She started marching him back down into the hold, lecturing all the while about the importance of hygiene.

Once they were out of sight, Iroh turned towards him. "That is a heavy decision to make. I am pleased that you are not about to make it lightly. It will be a long time before you will be in a position to take action. And who knows what the future will bring?"

Zuko snorted. "And maybe the Avatar will return and everything will come up dragon lilies." He shook his head. "Whatever I choose, I won't be gambling on the impossible."

"As you wish, nephew," said Iroh. He settled back into his work, a faint smile on his lips. "As you wish."

* * *

Yue finally let go of Aang once they were fully below. "Now do you want to tell me what all that fuss was about?"

Aang shrugged and shuffled his feet. "Not really."

She narrowed her eyes. "Do I have to get Zuko to come and help me?"

Aang jerked his head up. "No! You don't have to do that."

Yue placed her hands on her hips and put on her best royal expression. "Then explain. Or else."

The boy glanced around furtively, as if he expected Zuko to suddenly appear out of the dark corners of the hold. Once he was satisfied they were alone, he reached up and pulled the hat off, revealing an unshaven head covered in dark fuzz. Even in the dim light, Yue could make out the outline of an arrow tattoo beneath his hair.

She reached out, stopped herself, and reached out again to trace the shape. A memory from the history scrolls flickered through her mind. "That's the mark of an airbending master," she whispered. "Where did you get that? I thought all the Air Nomads died out over a century ago."

"They did," said Aang. His head was bowed and his left hand bunched the battered cap into a tight ball.

"Then how did that happen?"

"The monks gave it to me."

Yue dropped her hand and stepped back. "I don't understand. You're talking about a people who died long before you were born."

"But I'm not." Aang's voice was very quiet now, barely even a whisper. "You know I'm the Avatar, right?"

Yue flashed back to a glowing Aang and the immense power he had commanded during that brief moment. "Yes."

"I was born into Air." She gasped. "I thought I was just another Air Nomad, but a few months ago, the monks came to me and told me I was the Avatar. Nobody's supposed to say anything until the Avatar turns sixteen, but they said something bad was coming and they needed me. I didn't want to be the Avatar so I," he swallowed, "took Appa and ran away."

"Appa?" She latched onto that name.

"My sky bison. The pirates have him right now. I had a chance to go after him, but I had to go rescue you instead."

"Oh." Sky bison are supposed to be as extinct as airbenders, thought Yue. They were said to have a deep and special bond with their masters. "Oh, _Aang_."

"But there was a storm. A really big one and I just – something happened. I don't really remember what I did, but I know I kept us alive. Until I woke up again. A hundred and ten years later." He sounded so lost when he said that. "And now Appa's gone, and everything's broken. It didn't used to be like this, it shouldn't even be like this and it's all my fault."

Yue didn't know what to say. Part of her wanted to shout at him, angry that the Avatar had shirked his duty and left her a world bereft of any kind of justice. Another part of her asked what kind of justice could have been found in sending an untrained boy against the might of the Fire Nation a century ago.

Everyone knew the Fire Nation had massacred the Air Nomads in order to destroy the Avatar. And then they had targeted Water and Earth, just in case. She found herself thinking of the future that could have been, if the Avatar had been reborn into Water, into Earth. Would it have been any better? There would have been no masters left to teach airbending; the cycle might have been broken permanently. And who was to say the Fire Nation wouldn't have managed to keep killing until the Avatar was born into Fire and grew up under their power?

She shoved such scenarios from her mind and embraced Aang. To reduce the life of this boy to sheer tactical advantage would make her no better than the ones she fought – as he had reminded her not so long ago. What a bitter joke that was. Both she and Zhao owed Aang their lives. He'd risked everything to save her and when he stepped onto that ship, he hadn't even known her name. In light of that, his refusal to let Zhao die made so much more sense. For all she feared it would haunt them.

"You won't tell Zuko, will you?" came a muffled voice from against her shoulder.

"I won't tell him. Or Iroh," she promised. "Now let's get you cleaned up."

Aang guided her to the water barrels and even located a battered tin washbasin. Once he had warmed the water, Yue began the process of washing the worst of the grime off.

"I think Iroh knows," mumbled Aang. He dunked his head into the water. "About the Avatar thing. But he's never said anything to Zuko, either. Did you know that Zuko used to be hunting for me – for the Avatar?"

Yue had heard that story before. Prince Zuko had been sent on the fool's errand of capturing the Avatar as a condition of his return to the Fire Nation. She leaned back and considered that fact in light of this new situation, suddenly very aware of how little she knew of her current allies. Zuko had, after all, just declared his ambitions for the throne. He'd walked back from those words, but there was no denying he had made the claim. She'd made an overture of aid, but that had been thinking his wishes were for justice. If all he wanted was the power, delivering Aang to King Ozai would be an excellent step. Yue thought Zuko had cut all ties, but she could have misread him. For all of Zuko's bravery aboard the _Exterminator_, his own skin had been on the line. After all, both Azula and Zhao would be rivals for whatever power he sought. Her instincts told her that theory was nonsense, but she couldn't afford to discount it entirely. If she was going to bring him back to her people, she had to be certain of his loyalties.

"Aang," she began slowly, "is that why you don't want Zuko to know? Because you think he'll turn you over?"

"What? No! Zuko would never do something like that," Aang answered firmly. His conviction was reassuring. He took the rag she handed him and scrubbed hard at his face. "He acts tough and mean sometimes, but he's really nice on the inside. I'm not worried about that."

"Then why?"

Aang became very focused on rinsing the rag. He swirled it around the basin, once, twice, thrice. "At first, it was because of the things you just said. But now – I know I can't run away anymore. I know that I owe you – that I owe everyone – for ignoring my duty. I have to be the Avatar, I have to restore the balance. But when the monks told me who I was, everyone treated me differently. It was awful. Everyone stopped seeing me as _me_. All I want is to be just Aang to somebody for a little longer." He sighed and looked up at her, eyes pleading. "I can't be that with Iroh or with you. Please let me be just Aang with Zuko. Please?"

"I already promised I wouldn't tell." I might think that's a bad idea, added Yue, but I did promise. "But when we reach my people, I am going to tell them the Avatar has returned."

"You promised!"

"I did. I just won't say that it's you," she reassured him. "I'll say it was something I learned when I was captured by the Fire Nation. Which is true, of course. My people need to know the Avatar is out there. That if they can hold out a little longer, there is still hope. By the time you are ready, I want them prepared to follow you."

Aang hunched over. "I guess that makes sense."

"It does. The world must know you are coming, Aang. Azula already knows."

"Huh?"

"She tried to kill you," Yue explained gently. She took the rag from Aang's hands and wiped at the places he'd missed. "She had a chance to take out Zuko and instead she targeted you." She ignored the miffed voice which whispered how unfair it was that of the three of them, the rebel of ten years had been treated as the least threatening. What a ridiculous thing to be upset about. "She wouldn't have done that if she didn't think you were more valuable dead."

Aang scowled.

"You did enter the Avatar State where witnesses could see it," Yue pointed out. She picked up his hat to wash it, dropping it in the water. The hat needed a better cleaning, but Yue understood now why Aang was so leery to go without it.

"Oh. Right. I forgot about that."

"Mm-hmm." Yue wrung Aang's cap out and handed it over to him. He concentrated and began to blow on it. A warm air emerged from his lips to dry it, only to become a flame within moments. He quickly stopped and pulled the still wet cap back on. As he left her to her ablutions, Yue called out to him. "One more thing. When you were in the Avatar State, you said something to me."

"I did?"

"You don't remember?"

Aang gave a half shrug. "When I become … like that, the world seems different. I can't always understand what happened when I go back to being me again. What, did I say something weird?"

She turned to focus on preparing fresh water and flicked a grateful smile to Aang when he darted forward to warm it again. "You said I didn't belong here. Does that ring any bells?"

"Nope. Though …"

"Yes?"

"There is something." Aang scrunched his face in thought. "I don't know how to describe it, but I feel like there's something weird about you."

"Oh, thank you," said Yue drily.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Aang's shoulders slumped. "Ever since I've woken up, there's been this sense of sickness around me. Like that sour feeling you get when you eat too many old fruit pies? But when I found you, that changed. It got better. Or maybe worse. Or – "

"Aang!" shouted a voice from above. "If you're done making yourself pretty, we need you up here!"

The ship lurched under their feet. With a muttered apology, Aang turned to answer Zuko's call.

Yue turned back to the wash basin. A bedraggled woman with white hair looked back her, her expression no less confused than Yue's own. What could the Avatar have meant? Where did she belong? She had thought her duty lay with her people, guiding them in revolt against those who sought their destruction. The image of a brash young Southern Water tribesman crossed her mind, his face full of regret as he walked away. She had given up her love because her duty was elsewhere. Wasn't that enough? Where else should she be?

* * *

Zuko was surprised that they continued their escape with no signs of pursuit. Outside of a few foolhardy fishing vessels in the distance, the _Hawkbat_ sailed alone during their journey northwards, once again untroubled by the usually rough seas. He mentioned this to his uncle, only to be given a proverb about gift ostrich horses and the blessings of the Spirit World. Their only stops were to refresh supplies along the Earth Kingdom coastline. The small amount of money Iroh had gleaned from Brock dwindled in the face of their need for food, water, and repairs.

If Azula had wanted to catch them, she'd have no trouble chasing after his battered ship. When he said as much to Yue, she laughed. Her hair was coiled in intricate braided loops which swished with her amusement.

"This isn't funny!" he snapped. "We're wanted by the most bad-tempered, psychotic, lightning-happy Fire Lord in history!"

"The reason Azula hasn't sent anyone after us is because she knows where we're going," Yue explained. She tugged one loop in consideration before adding. "Well, I suppose we could have chosen a different course. Either way, she knows where the base is."

"And you don't think that's a sign to, say, move it?"

"The High Council doesn't think so." Yue returned to sharpening her boomerang. "We chose the location because even when the Fire Nation discovered it, we knew that they would hesitate to attack."

Zuko snorted. "The Fire Nation has never hesitated to attack anything."

"Perhaps." She lifted her weapon up and examined the edge in the sunlight. Dissatisfied by what she saw, Yue returned to the whetstone. "Perhaps not. The Foggy Bottom swamp has defenses that even the Fire Nation would fear."

"So the rumors are true," mused Iroh. "I had wondered when I first heard them."

Aang perked up from his seat on the deck. "What rumors?" He was ostensibly taking a break to do his assigned lessons, but Zuko doubted the kid had gotten more than a quarter down the history scroll. Who knew where his uncle had found it.

His uncle chose not to chide Aang for his inattention. "The Foggy Bottom swamp is a nexus between this world and the Spirit World. Even in times of peace, it had a dangerous reputation for outsiders."

"A reputation well deserved," agreed Yue. She sheathed her freshly sharpened boomerang. "And that has spared my people thus far. Any force that attempts to attack us finds itself fighting the land itself. Ghosts lead them astray. Allies appear as enemies and enemies as allies. If you do not know where to step, then each step becomes closer to your last."

Aang made a face. "Sounds scary."

"Not for us. I will guide you through it safely." She arched her back and rolled her shoulders to get the kinks out from crouching over the whetstone. Zuko took a moment to appreciate the view. She raised her eyebrow at him and he flushed, embarrassed to have been caught looking. Yue continued speaking. "I have called Foggy Bottom my home for the past eight years. You will be welcome there."

"We look forward to your hospitality," said his uncle with a slight bow from his seat.

Zuko processed Yue's description of their destination and compared it to his mental map. "How far upriver is the swamp?" he asked, going through some quick calculations. The _Hawkbat_ was an ocean-going vessel. She could manage perhaps some part of a river, but would run aground when it grew too shallow.

Yue gave a little shrug. "Perhaps three days' journey or so by foot? To the swamp outskirts, I mean. Once you reach Foggy Bottom, your sense of time can get a little uncertain."

He gave her a look. She knew what he wanted to know.

"You might be able to sail up the river a little bit, but we'll have to leave the ship eventually. This isn't the first sea going vessel I've had to consider," she pointed out. "There's a secluded cove near the river that leads to a small cave system. We've hollowed it out some more to hide our ships. That's where we'll go first."

"And then just abandon her for anyone to take her?" Zuko grumbled. He didn't have the love some men had for their ships, but the _Hawkbat_ had treated him right. He hadn't left her for longer than a quick trip to shore since he'd gotten her. It has been a hard bargain, and ultimately it had taken a quick hand with the sails to earn the freedom she granted. The thought of being away from her for several days or longer felt wrong.

"It's hidden. There won't be anyone around to know to take her."

"I could always stay behind."

"And do what?"

Zuko didn't have a good answer. He just seethed. He was used to life being unfair. He embraced the feeling and went on about his work.

Yue turned her attention back to Iroh. "The problem of navigating the river is one more protection the swamp has to offer. I can only hope that it remains an adequate defense."

"But you fear otherwise?"

She nodded. "By land and water, my home is well defended. But by air …"

"By air," noted Iroh, "one can avoid many of the dangers of a spiritual nexus such as the one the swamp contains."

"Exactly."

"The Fire Nation has had airships for years," Zuko protested. "Why haven't they bombed you yet?"

"You don't have to sound so disappointed," Yue retorted. "Attacking Foggy Bottom Swamp is easier said than done, even from air. The swamp is immense. When assault by land failed, they did try to attack by air a few years ago. It met with little success. Almost three quarters of that fleet was taken out by a freak tornado. We took some losses, but the Fire Nation didn't come near our main base. They managed some damage to the swamp itself, but the fires didn't catch and spread." She twisted her lips in a cold smile at the memory. "All those resources brought to bear for nothing."

"So why are you worried?" asked Zuko. "You just said they can't attack by air."

The smile faded from Yue's face. "Those were the airships of three years ago."

"You believe matters have changed," Iroh said.

"The swamp's strength fades by the day. Its power is not infinite against the corruption of the broken cycle. Combined by the message I received from one of my spies before my capture, I fear we will not be so lucky during the next attack. An immensely powerful airship has been designed. Admiral Zhao confirmed it for me – it's his new command. Undoubtedly it's the first of a fleet of such ships."

Something clicked in Zuko's memory. "The _Flaming Fist_."

"Precisely. I'm certain that Zhao plans to lead another fleet of airships against us. They won't underestimate the swamp this time. I can only hope we reach my people before he does." Yue clenched her hands into fists. "I won't have that man destroy my home again."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Every time she returned to the swamp, Yue found herself musing at the strange twists of fate that had taken her so far from her beginnings. After the fall of the North Pole, Yue and her people had fled. For the first year of their exile, they had roamed the Earth Kingdom, seeking some place to find refuge in, only to be turned away at every village and town. The discovery of distant kin in the Foggy Bottom Swamp was their salvation – here were a people who welcomed hers with open arms. It was then, and only then, that Yue allowed herself to seek revenge. Once her people were safe, she was able to begin her service to the rebellion. She was often gone for months at a time, gathering information and making contact with other rebel cells, but the swamp was always there when she returned.

Yue shook herself from her reverie and turned to examine her companions. Zuko wore his perpetual expression of bad temper, while even the irrepressible Aang showed signs of exhaustion. Iroh seemed a bit weary, but there was a steadiness about him that Yue had already begun to rely on. They had completed the trek upriver and were just now coming on the edges of the swampland, where solid ground gave way to marshy pools. After this point, they would be firmly in the swamp's territory.

That distinction was not lost, at least, on Iroh. After studying the outskirts of the swamp a moment, he said, "Remind me again, Princess Yue, what dangers we must be mindful of on our journey."

A reminder intended, she did not doubt, more for her other companions than for him. Yue took a deep breath before answering Iroh's question. The damp, heavy scent of growing things and rotting plant matter filled her lungs. When she first came here, it had been an unpleasant, foreign smell. Now it was one of safety. But a form of safety that could never be taken for granted.

"From this point onwards, stay close to me," she ordered. Yue noticed Aang staring off to the side, undoubtedly focused on a flutterby or some other thing that caught his interest. "That means you, Aang. No wandering off."

Aang snapped his attention back to her. "What? I know better than that."

Zuko made a scoffing noise at his protestations. Yue couldn't help but agree with his disbelief. They'd been delayed in leaving the caves because Aang had gone off to see how far they went. She'd had a nerve-wracking time of it until Zuko had come back with Aang trailing behind him.

She made sure to catch Aang's eyes and hold his gaze a moment. "I hope you do. The swamp isn't like any other place you've been. You might see someone you know in the distance and run half a mile only to find yourself alone and lost. If you're lucky. There are predators, both alive and undead, that won't see you as anything but a snack. Footing can be treacherous – we'll mostly stick to the roots, but sometimes we'll have to wade. And water depth can be deceptive. I know the safe places to walk, but outside of those ways, anything could happen to you - all bad. Do you understand, Aang?"

He nodded. That would have to be good enough. Yue looked to her fellow adults. "Do you?"

"Follow close. Be prepared. Trust nothing," Zuko quirked his lips. "Always good advice."

Iroh inclined his head. "We commit ourselves to your safe-keeping. Whenever you are ready, we will begin."

Satisfied, Yue beckoned them to follow her. There was no reason to concern them with worries about her sometimes shaky swampcraft. This was a road she had walked a thousand times before with others. Surely she should be able to lead her companions along it.

She guided them along the length of the great trunk root that served as her first marker. Sometimes it was underwater, sometimes above, but she made sure to keep that rough wood beneath her feet as she trudged along. The wood slowly gave way to dense green-black moss, which formed a slippery surface she scrambled to maintain her footing on. Aang the light-footed, of course, dealt with such obstacles with ease. While everyone else focused on their balance, he chatted away.

"Are there really ghosts out there? Back at the monastery we had ghost story night almost every week. My favorite was the one where the firebending was coming from _inside the house_. But those are ghost story ghosts and the way everybody talks here there really are ghostly ghosts."

"Ghosts are indeed real," confirmed Iroh. "With the Spirit World in such turmoil, the cycle of life and death has become upset. Souls are lingering instead of being reborn."

"Even in peaceful times, the swamp was a place of much spirit activity," added Yue. "Now that the earth itself is dying, it has become that much more dangerous."

Aang sighed. "I was hoping that it was really just a bunch of ghost story ghosts." He easily jumped over a fallen branch, only to wait for everyone else to carefully climb over it. "So, have you met any ghosts?"

Zuko shook his head. "The troubles hadn't become as widespread as they are now by the time my uncle and I got the _Hawkbat_. The ocean can be cruel, but I'd rather face that than something that refuses to stay dead."

"You can kill them, though. For the second time," said Yue. Aang turned to look at her, his eyes wide. "It's easiest with the spirits that linger in their former bodies. All you need with the walking dead is fire. It's ironic, really. The Fire Nation's desecration of the natural order is what caused the problem in the first place, but because they've got the flames, many of the conquered near a garrison refuse to revolt. They fear the undead more than their oppressors," she finished bitterly.

"Fire's only good for zombies," said Zuko. "It's the ghosts without a body that are the real threat."

"You can kill those too."

"No, you can't," he argued back.

"Yes, you can," Yue retorted. "I've seen it. Seven years ago, I met a brother and sister who almost did nothing _but_ fight restless spirits. They saved my life. My team and I had taken shelter in an abandoned garrison – turns out it was abandoned for a reason. We were surrounded by the shades of the soldiers who had been massacred there before we even knew what was happening. That's when Sokka – "

A scream ripped through the air. Aang froze and spun in the shallow water, searching for the source. "Who was that? Where'd it come from?" He made to launch himself into the air. Zuko's arm shot out automatically and latched onto his collar, stopping him before he could move.

Without letting go, Zuko turned to her to ask, "What was that? A ghost?"

"No. Ghosts are usually quieter. That was a bloodcurdle bird," answered Yue. She scanned the encroaching darkness for the telltale ghostly flicker, just in case. "It's a good sign. Those birds tend to stick to the center. We're going in the right direction."

Another scream followed, echoing even louder through the trees.

"A most aptly named animal," said Iroh. He struggled not to flinch at the sound. "Will we be hearing more of them?"

"Probably. It's near mating season."

"One man's noise is another man's music, eh?"

"Something like that." Yue glanced up at the canopy above. Even in the dim light that filtered through the leaves, she could tell the sun was setting. "They're most active at dusk. We should probably find a spot to stop for the night. I don't want to risk meeting a real ghost."

They made camp in the hollow of a fallen tree trunk. Yue thought the tree might have fallen in the Fire Nation's bombardment, but the eager moss covered up any evidence of charred wood or jagged shards. They were not the first ones to seek shelter here, she noted, because it only took a little digging to reveal the fire pit built by the previous occupants. Zuko directed Aang in building a small fire, so they soon had their own little beacon in the darkness.

Yue leaned against the trunk and thought. The cry of the bloodcurdle bird had come as a relief to her. It was a sign she traveled in the right direction. They had left the point where the great trunk root submerged under water too deep to follow. In theory she had been guiding them alongside the root's path, but it was a trail that was easy to lose. She had never navigated it without a more knowledgeable companion beside her.

Iroh volunteered to take the first watch and sat himself with his back to the flames, facing outwards into the night. Both Aang and Zuko spread their bedrolls to try and get some rest, even though the mating cries of the bloodcurdle bird made such efforts seem futile. Yue considered following them into sleep, but chose instead to sit a while with the retired general.

She knelt down beside him and offered him a cup of tea. Iroh accepted and sipped, only to spit it out. "My nephew made this, didn't he?" he asked, holding the cup away from him.

"Actually, I did." Yue drank a moment from her own cup, savoring the earthy, bitter taste on her tongue. With the bloodcurdle birds in full glory, she doubted she was going to sleep tonight. "It's meant to be like that. The swampdwellers call it 'wake-up juice.' It's an acquired taste."

"Ah. And I have yet to acquire it." Iroh tried another sip. He managed not to spit it out this time. "Now I remember this. I hadn't had this tea in many, many years."

"Really? I didn't think anyone made wake-up juice outside of the swampdwellers."

"This is not the first time I've been here," said Iroh. "In the years before the comet, before Zuko's exile, I traveled to many places."

"During Azulon's reign?" Yue asked. She thought it an odd topic for him to choose – for all she liked him and his nephew, she could not help but shy from their history. This kindly old man, after all, had been the driving force behind the last major conquest of the Earth Kingdom before the final push of the comet.

"Then, too. I was thinking of the first years after my brother came to power, before his madness cost us as much as it did. I learned a great deal in my travels, even if I sometimes wonder if my energies would have been better suited elsewhere…" Iroh trailed off and took a long pull of the gritty tea. "Augh. It appears cooling does not improve the flavor." He covered the cup with one hand for a moment, then released it to reveal steaming liquid. There was another long pause before he continued speaking. "When last I was here, I was drawn by the legends. How you could be granted visions of those you had lost. It was a temptation I could not resist."

Yue nodded. "When my people first came here, my ignorance almost destroyed us. I had only rumor and legend to guide us, and that is a poor substitute for real knowledge in a place such as this. I would have had us walking in circles for eternity if my father had not appeared to me. He guided me through the banyan trees until I found the swampbenders." She gave a rueful laugh. "Only in retrospect do I realize how lucky I was my vision did me no harm."

"I saw many things during my journey through the swamp." Iroh paused to take a sip of his tea. "Many strange and wondrous things."

"Did you see who you had lost?" As soon as she said it, Yue winced. That was too intimate a question. Proper etiquette forbade asking directly about another person's visions. Some things were too personal.

Iroh took no offense. "No, I did not. Though I did see who I would find."

"You knew you would find," Yue dropped her voice down to a whisper, "the Avatar?"

"So you know the true nature of our youngest companion," he said without a trace of surprise. "While my visions did not come to pass precisely as I had foreseen them, it was obvious what he was the moment I met Aang. He does his best, but deception does not come easily to him. I wondered how long he would be able to remain unknown."

"I saw him as the Avatar while we were escaping," Yue confessed. "And I wasn't the only one."

"Judging from my nephew's behavior, he remains in the dark. Therefore, our enemies are also aware the Avatar has returned."

"Yes."

Iroh sagged. For a few moments he was a tired old man, weary of the problems continually thrown at him. "I wished to keep him safe a little longer. He still has so much to learn before he is ready."

She drained the last of her tea, grimacing. Iroh was right. Cooling did nothing for the flavor. "I know. But we don't have time to spare. The world needs him."

"That it does. Though we can do nothing about that tonight. You should get some rest, Princess Yue." He turned towards her. "But before you go, if you would humor an old man's curiosity."

"Yes?" Yue answered before pushing up on her knees in preparation for leaving him. She studied his face carefully, wondering what had prompted his remark.

"I do not wish to be rude, but your coloring is most unusual for a lady your age. Even on a night as dark as this one there is almost a glow about you. "

Yue sank back down to the ground. For all she honored Tui's blessing, she often forgot how strange her hair and eyes could seem. On missions she often covered her hair, for its whiteness would reflect any ambient light. But when among her allies she gave the matter little thought. "When I was a baby, I'm told, I was very sick. I would have died, but my parents placed me in the waters of the Spirit Oasis in the hopes the Spirits would heal me. They did. When my father pulled me out, my hair had been changed into," she tugged at one braid, "this. I lived. Years later, the Moon Spirit died. Fate's a fickle, cruel thing, isn't she?

"Our path often winds in strange ways," Iroh agreed. "Thank you for sharing your story. My question answered, I can now bid you good night."

"Good night." Yue sat up on her knees and prepared to leave him. Before she stood up, she thought to ask him one more thing. "Iroh?"

"Mmm?"

Yue steeled herself to speak. A man as educated about the Spirit World as Iroh seemed might be able to help her. "When Aang was in the Avatar State, he said something very strange to me. He said I didn't belong here."

He stroked his beard a moment. "That is strange. Perhaps you should ask the swamp to help you seek the answer. If there is ever a good place to understand the balance that fuels the Avatar State, it is this one."

Though it was not the answer she had wanted, Yue still bowed in thanks and went to climb into her bedroll. As she expected, sleep eluded her, her mind occupied with all the questions and problems that waited her in the morning.

* * *

The scrolls had neglected to mention how much the animal reeked. Azula held a perfumed handkerchief to her nose while she examined her new acquisition. She had arranged to meet her agent at the governor's estate near Suzaku, a piece of property which had recently come into her possession. Her agent had succeeded in contacting the pirates, and even negotiated the creature's purchase for far less than she had allotted. Either the pirates were unaware of their prize's true worth, or they had the sense to appreciate the value of her good will.

Not that it would stop her from terminating them if she thought it beneficial.

It was an enormous beast, bigger than a komodo rhino, and covered in long white fur, with the gray arrow on its head the only marking. Each of its six legs were chained and tethered to posts stuck into the stable's floor. Despite that precaution, Azula kept her distance. Every now and again the animal thrashed about and tossed its head, from which two sharp horns emerged. It could probably impale somebody on the tips, she noted. If the Air Nomads really had ambushed the Fire Nation as the history scrolls said, the sky bison would have made formidable war mounts.

"Is this it?"

Her agent bowed deeply. "Not at all, my lord." He gestured towards a small pile of goods that rested a safe distance away from the animal. "I was also able to acquire all the possessions the, ah, free traders found on the animal."

Azula walked over to examine the offerings. They were mundane things – saddle and saddlebags, blankets and other miscellaneous odds and ends of a design a century out of date. Likely only of value to some sad old fool dedicated to dwelling in the past. Only one thing caught her eye – a staff. She picked it up and tested the balance.

"Not bad, for the weapon of a so-called peaceful people," she remarked.

"As you say, my lord."

Azula ignored him to continue to run her fingers along the wood. The scrolls had indicated that Air Nomad staffs had a trick to them. All she had to do was find the mechanism – there! The glider wings sprang out at her touch. "Impressive." After a moment of fiddling, during which her agent wisely looked away, Azula managed to collapse the wings once more. "A nice little toy. You did well, Ping."

"It's Ling, my lord."

She turned sharply to stare at the man. He bowed very deeply and murmured, "Though I will answer to whatever you wish, my lord."

"You do that."

"Fire Lord Azula!"

Azula spun to face the stable door, swinging the staff into a ready position. "I said I wasn't to be disturbed!"

Jiro entered the room, panting from his run, though his uniform was as immaculate as ever. "I am sorry, my lord, but Admiral Zhao has arrived in answer to your summons. He awaits you in the drawing room."

"Does he?" Azula twirled the staff lazily through the air. "Well then, I best go and greet him. Ping, you're in charge of keeping that creature alive. Don't disappoint me." She ignored his subsequent reply and marched towards the door. "Lead on, Jiro. I wouldn't want to be a poor hostess."

* * *

Now that they had reached the swamp's depths, it ceased to play nice. Biting insects swarmed about, drawn to the fresh blood. Yue cursed herself for forgetting to purchase any protective oils against the onslaught. As horrible as those substances smelled, it would be better than the misery of these little bites. She could hear a sharp sizzling sound behind her. She spun around to see Zuko bend a thin screen of fire in front of him, frying all the flies that came too close. Lucky bastard.

Aang tried to do the same. Yue barely ducked in time. "Be careful!" she shouted. The errant flame struck a sodden tree trunk, where it flared a moment before sputtering out.

"Sorry!" Aang swatted at the air around him. "I didn't mean to do that."

"'Didn't mean to' doesn't mean 'didn't happen,'" she snapped, adding a glare at Zuko for good measure. He raised his good eyebrow at her, wordlessly saying, what are you mad at me for? What do you think, she scowled back. "Think twice the next time you bend."

"Always a sensible idea," agreed Iroh once he climbed over to their position. He, Yue noted sourly, had rigged up some netting to his sedge hat so the flies couldn't bite his face. "A wise man accepts that there are trees in the forest and will not burn them down for being in his way."

Aang at least was suitably chastened by the reprimand. Zuko, Yue observed, simply rolled his eyes in response to his uncle's proverb. She never doubted the affection between the two, but that didn't stop the irritation that can only come from a family member's foibles. Her own father, she thought with a tug of sadness, had easily been the most frustrating person in her life as well as the most loving.

"Which way now?" asked Aang, drawing her from her memories. He was never one be shamed into silence for long.

Yue studied the clearing she had guided her companions into. She was fairly certain they wanted to turn left at the crooked vine-covered tree shaped like a polar moose's antler, but the springy moss covered path to the right looked familiar as well. Or it could just be her desire to recognize something – there was a chance neither was correct. She hadn't been confident of her surroundings since they slogged through that last stretch. Yue rubbed her elbow at the memory. Deleeching was never a pleasant process.

"Well?"

She shot Zuko a look. "Hold your ostrich horses. I'm thinking." Yue considered each path in turn and made up her mind. She had a fifty-fifty chance of guessing right. Assuming she wasn't wrong to begin with. "We're going left. Mind the gap – it's best if we hop from stump to stump."

Yue set off in her chosen direction, trailed by Zuko and Iroh. Aang, however, lingered behind.

"Are you sure?" he said, brow furrowed in concentration. "That doesn't feel right. I feel like I'm supposed to be going in a different direction."

"Why do you say that?" Yue looked down the path she was leading them on. The row of stepping stumps matched her shaky memories, and she had no reason to doubt them. "This is the way."

"If you say so..."

"I do say so. Let's go."

Once Aang had rejoined them, Yue turned and continued on her way. She led them across the stepping stumps, through a tangled mass of vines, and around a sleeping wild catgator. For the last they carefully climbed onto a low hanging thick branch and inched slowly towards the trunk, one at a time. Zuko, the last in line, was almost across when the catgator woke up and leapt into the air - only to grab a foolish bloodcurdle bird for a snack instead. While the catgator was busy, Zuko slid to safety.

That was a good thing, but Yue wished she had listened to Aang earlier. She was lost. Roots were trees and trees became roots and everything was covered in a thick coat of vines and fungi. When she spotted that same catgator, napping again under the same low branch, Yue knew she had made a mistake. And her companions were quick to notice.

"Hey, it's that catgator!"

"I am _not_ climbing over that animal again."

"Perhaps we should take a moment to allow our guide to regain her bearings?"

Yue left them talking away to climb up the nearest banyan tree in order to get the lay of the land. Could she even retrace her steps back to the clearing? But that was no guarantee her wrong turn had been there. For all she knew it was a series of wrong turns. It was only sheer luck she hadn't led them into a ghost web, or some other trap created by hungry spirits. Or maybe she had and she was now hallucinating the whole thing while her body drowned.

From her perch in the tree, Yue looked down into the opaque water. That smooth dark surface hid so much – submerged roots, patient catgators, all matter of leeches. You never knew what was beneath until it was too late.

Only she could see something in the water now. There was a glimmer near the surface of something white. Yue wondered what it could be and concentrated on the murky waters – there it was again! She got a better look this time. It was a white fish, slowly swimming in a circle. It almost looked like a koi fish - which was ridiculous, because koi weren't native to the swamp.

Yue dropped down and stood at the water's edge, staring. There was something incomplete about the koi's dance, as beautiful as it was. The thought tugged at her, whispering with a memory. Behind her, she could hear the others asking what was going on. Yue ignored them and focused on the image. She had seen this before. But that was when the white koi had a partner. Yue gasped. But Tui was dead!

The white koi darted away, leaving a faint trail in its wake. Yue turned to her companions and ordered them to follow her. "I know which way to go now!"

She chased after the trailing white light, fearful that it would fade before she could catch up. The image must have been for her eyes alone, because no one commented on her odd behavior. Well, they commented, but Yue let Zuko's remarks slide off as she focused on Tui's trail. Why she saw the dead Moon Spirit was not her concern. Following it was. Surely no evil spirit would dare impersonate the moon.

Yue knew her instincts were right when the trail climbed steadily upwards onto higher ground, crowned by a wooden palisade driven into the muddy earth. Here was the outer boundary of the base.

"Princess Yue!" called a voice from above. Yue tilted her face upwards to see the lookout in the tree above her. It was Maicha, one of the warriors from her tribe. Beside him was an Earth Kingdom recruit, Yahi. "We thought we had lost you."

"The Fire Nation can't keep me down!" she called up to them. "Will you let us in?"

"Sure thing!" Maicha was about to drop down the ladder when he spied the arrival of the firebenders close behind her. There was an arrow notched in his bow less than a breath later. His partner did not waver in following suit.

"Who are these people?" demanded Yahi. He did not lower his weapon.

Yue flicked her eyes over to Iroh and Zuko. She had known this would happen, and judging from their expressions, they had expected much the same. It didn't stop the defiant look in Zuko's eye, but he kept his hands out to the sides and visible.

The only person showing shock was Aang. "Why are you aiming at us? We haven't done anything wrong."

"It's okay, Aang," said Yue. "They're just being careful." She spoke to Maicha and Yahi. "I know they are strangers, but these people are allies. They're the ones you have to thank for my safe return."

Neither man lowered his bow. "Princess Yue, that's the Phoenix King's son," said Maicha. "You can't be so naïve to think he's on our side."

"Your people are certainly well-informed," muttered Iroh.

"Captain Zuko was also exiled by Ozai. He, General Iroh, and their ward," Yue explained smoothly, "rescued me when I was taken. I'm sure as a token of their good faith, however, there will be no objections to you confiscating their weapons until the council clears them."

"They're firebenders. They're always a weapon," spat Yahi.

"I give you my word of honor that no harm will come to your people by our hands," promised Iroh.

"Feh. What good is the word of a firebender?"

Yue was relieved to see Zuko react no more strongly than tightening his jaw and glowering. She doubted that Tui had led her here just to see her allies become arrow pincushions, so she drew herself up into her most royal bearing and announced, "Even if I did not trust his words, I would trust his actions. Captain Zuko and General Iroh have gone to great lengths to aid me in defiance of the Fire Nation. Now let us in. I'm sure that the entire base will be able to handle a few firebenders if I'm wrong."

There was a long pause. Just when Yue thought she was about to become the center of a fight, Maicha lowered his bow and directed Yahi to do the same. They were clear to enter the base.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The rebel base wasn't what Zuko expected. He had thought it would be a strictly military establishment, full of warriors waiting for the order to go out on raids. Instead, he found a place that was part armed camp, part village. Plenty of soldiers abounded, but mixed in were civilian men, women, and children. They went about their business both on the ground and above it – not only were there paths marked out on the ground, but wooden walkways connected most of the houses and other buildings, all raised up on stilts above the muddy earth. A high, vine-covered wall surrounded the encampment, surprisingly sturdy to Zuko's eyes. He doubted that it would survive a sustained bombardment, but it wouldn't be easy to topple. He noted that guards were stationed at regular intervals along the wall, each armed with a bow. Zuko craned his neck to examine the make. He was surprised to see that some of the bows were of Yu Yan manufacture – a testament to the rebels' victories. A Yu Yan archer would die before giving up his bow.

"Oof!" The earth rolled beneath his feet, and he stumbled. Zuko felt his "guide" prodding him with a spear. The other hand had no doubt done a bit of bending a moment before.

The earthbender pushed at him again, harder. "Stop gawking. I don't want you taking notes for your masters."

Zuko scowled, but said nothing else in response. Instead he followed the guard up the ramp onto a boardwalk. One wrong move could end what little welcome he had. Yue had gone ahead to confer with her fellow leaders, leaving them in the care of a Water Tribesman she had introduced as Gen. Gen and five other men, two of whom were earthbenders, were escorting Zuko, his uncle, and Aang to their designated quarters. And without their princess around, they were making their displeasure very clear.

"He was just looking!" protested Aang. He walked in the middle, behind Iroh but in front of Zuko. Their escort surrounded them on all sides. "You don't have to be so mean about it."

Gen adjusted the grip on his own spear. "We don't like spies. You may have convinced the princess, but we know better. Fire can't do anything but destroy. That's its nature."

"All the elements are destructive by nature," said Iroh calmly. "As are they constructive. Those who wield them must discover the balance between both aspects."

"_Balance_," the Water Tribesman sneered. "There can be no balance as long as the Fire Nation survives."

"Mmm." Iroh continued walking. "That is, of course, one way to view the matter."

They stopped in front of a crude hut, the roof full of more holes than straw. "In here," ordered Gen. "And don't think to go exploring without permission. My men will be posted outside, and they won't hesitate to defend themselves."

Aang pushed the door covering aside and ducked inside, Zuko right behind him. The kid stifled a cry when a spider dropped down on his head. He swatted it to the ground, only to watch it skitter away into the darkness. "It's, ah, real nice."

Zuko rolled his eyes at Aang's attempted pleasantry. The space inside the hut was as unpleasant as he expected, but given the conditions of the camp itself, probably not much worse than the accommodations of more respected denizens. He eased himself down on the wood floor, making sure to face the door. Once Iroh followed him in, Gen shoved the covering shut, leaving them alone in the dim room.

Aang poked around at the hut's edges, picking at the few odds and ends the last occupant had left behind.

"What happens now?" he asked, looking up from fiddling with a broken lantern.

Iroh settled himself into a more comfortable seated position. "We wait. I suspect it will not be long." He folded his hands neatly into his lap. "I look forward to meeting with the council Princess Yue spoke of. I once made the acquaintance of the great waterbender, Master Pakku, over a game of pai sho. I would greatly enjoy a rematch. His use of the white lotus gambit caught me by surprise last time."

Zuko sighed. He would have been more pleased by the news of a potential ally from his uncle's network of "old friends and acquaintances" had meeting any of them over the years resulted in something other than more trouble.

Aang was no less shocked. "You're friends with a waterbender?"

"I do not know if Master Pakku would use that word," Iroh answered. "But were he to offer, I would accept, and be honored for the privilege. You sound very surprised, Aang. Is there something unusual about a friendship between members of different nations?"

"There's nothing usual about friendship when the Fire Nation's involved," Zuko interjected with bitterness. "Just look at the men out there. They can barely accept we aren't here to kill them."

"Leaving aside that we are here after befriending a woman of the Water Tribe," remarked Iroh, turning towards Aang, "do you agree?"

"People should be friends with whoever they want to be friends with," he said fiercely. Once the words were out, however, Aang slumped, all fierceness gone. "But – "

"But what?" prodded Iroh. He fixed his eyes upon Aang. "What would you say otherwise?"

"Zuko's right." He waved a hand towards the entrance of the hut. "That man there, Gen, it's not just that he's angry at the people who hurt him and his tribe. He _hates_ them. And I don't think it's only them, it's the entire Fire Nation. Even the ones who didn't do anything. He hates them all."

"So?" Zuko leaned forward. "They still let it happen. Doing nothing can be just as great a crime."

"But you can't kill everyone!" Aang exploded in a torrent of words. "Maybe the ones who killed his family are dead. And now he's just taking his anger out on people who didn't have anything to do with why his family is dead and anyway they don't really know what happened, not really, because someone lied to them about why they were killed, so there's no one left to take vengeance on even if he wants to and if he does try, all he's going to do is kill more people and hurt more families and the balance will never be fixed because it's just hate and death going on forever!"

He stood there in the middle of the hut, panting heavily, his eyes brimming with frustrated tears. "I don't know what to do!"

Aang collapsed onto his knees and curled himself into a ball, burying his head under his arms. Zuko didn't know how to respond. He tried to figure out where this had come from. Why was Aang so upset? And who said he had to do anything? The world was in such a mess that it would take more than one kid, no matter how idealistic, to make it anything better. He found himself turning towards his uncle. Whenever he had raged about the unfairness of the world as a youth, his uncle had always had an answer. He'd rarely _liked_ the answer, but that was more than what Zuko could offer Aang.

Iroh waited until Aang had calmed down before responding. "I will not lie and say this situation has an easy answer. Even if the war ended today, it would be many years before a true peace could be obtained. But that doesn't mean we have no hope. Our very presence speaks against that. We are here with the blessing of the princess of the Northern Water Tribe, a woman who is alive today because of you, Aang. And from there, we can offer her an alliance. With just two," he paused a moment and then added with a quirk of his lips, "no, three firebenders at first. And once we have proven ourselves to these people, we will have succeeded in opening the door to more alliances.

"The overthrowing the current Fire Nation regime will take more than just the efforts of these Earth and Water rebels. It will take the people of all the nations to restore the balance. When the rebels finally reach out to the citizens of the Fire Nation, they will be surprised how quickly those citizens will reach back. Many people in my homeland are afraid. They fear Ozai, and they fear the alternative to him. But given the hope for something better, I know they will respond. And fight for that better future."

His uncle had a rosier view of the ordinary Fire Nation citizen than Zuko did. They would never rally behind someone from the Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe, no matter how bad things got. The rebellion might be able persuade some of the governors and generals, or even whole cities, to rebel, but the resulting civil war would just make things worse. No, no one short of the Fire Lord could take command without tearing his country apart. Though if they had someone to rally behind, someone to offer the road to a better future? Such as an alternative Fire Lord. But that was a responsibility he doubted he could fulfill, his uncle's views aside. He knew that Yue had alluded to such an offer back aboard the _Hawkbat_. An alliance among the three nations, dedicated to ending the Phoenix King's reign once and for all.

"Is he right, Zuko?" Aang asked. "Will that work?"

Zuko would never understand why Aang treated him as if he were as wise as his uncle. He sighed and answered, "It might."

Given how much responsibility Aang appeared to take on, Zuko didn't add the real reason he was buying into this. Up until the kid had joined him, Iroh hadn't pushed for more than survival and the occasional act of mercy. Not that Zuko would have listened if he had suggested anything else. But he was tired of doing nothing, and if his uncle thought they could help make a difference... Well, he'd survived breaking into and escaping from his sister's ship. It's not like they could come up with much that would be even _more_ foolish and reckless.

He hoped.

Azula admire

* * *

d the fearsome size of the _Flaming Fist_ as it dwarfed the numerous airships tethered on the ground and in the air. Subtle it was not, but the ship was not for subtle purposes. The rebels and the undead had refused to fall, and in return they would be crushed. The very sight of _Flaming Fist_ would intimidate their lesser opponents. The ship swarmed with soldiers hurrying about, finalizing whatever things needed finalizing before takeoff. Such details were not doubt important, but she found them boring when compared to the joys that lay ahead.

"As honored as we are by your presence," Zhao said from his position beside her, his tone ever so slightly chilled despite the compliment, "I am uncertain as to why the Fire Lord has chosen to join me on this mission. We are only going to burn out a pigeonrat's nest, after all."

"I always enjoyed setting the turtle duck nests on fire at the palace," she remarked while keeping a watchful eye on the men shuttling her possessions up the boarding ramp. Something tugged at her memory. "I never understood what the fuss was about. We ate roast turtle duck for dinner once a week." Azula pushed a stray hair back into place. Her hairdresser had been slacking lately. "Roast pigeonrat, of course, is only for the desperate."

"Which is why I would think your talents would be better served elsewhere, my lord," he said smoothly. "Doesn't the _Exterminator_ have a few more wayward ports to call on?"

Azula's expression did not change, though she seethed inwardly. That odious man. He knew full well that her flagship would be undergoing repairs for at least another month, thanks to the rebel scum. She was going to kill Zuko, and their fat uncle, and that white-haired bitch. And then she'd lock the Avatar boy in chains for the rest of his miserable life, though she wouldn't mind killing him as well if she had to.

"Unless," Zhao continued, "you think there will be something of interest on my little excursion? Or someone?" He eyed the staff she held in her left hand. "What an interesting accessory. I didn't think your brother left you so injured you required extra support."

Azula tightened her grip on the polished wood. It was both pathetic and insulting that Zuko had spared her life. He'd done the same to Zhao twice over, both aboard the _Exterminator_ and ten years ago. Finding herself equated with the man was humiliating. Pathetic, because that meant he was still as obsessed with 'honor' as ever, and insulting, because that meant he'd somehow forgotten he had survived all these years on her sufferance. She wouldn't suffer him to live any longer.

Her eyes narrowed as she processed the import of Zhao's insinuations. Did he suspect? Azula had disseminated strict orders to her men not to talk about what they had witnessed. After what had happened to Zhao's last informant, she thought they would obey. But there always was some fool greedier for gold than his life. She twirled the staff a moment, considering the appropriate counter-strike.

"It's an amusing little curiosity," she said casually. "I believe it was purchased from a rather eccentric band of free traders. A well-traveled and informative group, I am told."

She flicked her eyes to the side in time to see Zhao flinch. He hid it well, but there was no denying that brief display of dismay. It filled her with a warm glow. He'd really thought she hadn't known about his pirates? Now he would have to wonder if they remained in his employ. She hadn't ordered any formal agreement from them, of course, but he didn't know that.

It almost made up for the knowledge there was now a rival in her pursuit of the Avatar.

"We should reach the rebel base in three days**,**" he announced abruptly. "After that, those pigeonrats should trouble us no more."

* * *

They waited in the hut longer than Zuko wanted but not as long as he had expected they would. Aang had worn himself out from his outburst and was napping, as was his uncle. Zuko was trying and failing to follow when Yue pulled the door covering aside and ducked inside.

"I want to thank you for your patience," she began, "I know that Gen can be … difficult."

Zuko snorted. That was an understatement. His uncle, however, made a conciliatory gesture and said, "We understand how disruptive our presence is. Trusting someone who was once an enemy is a difficult matter. I do not blame him for his suspicions."

"That's good to hear. He won't be an isolated example. I'll be honest – if you hadn't done what you did for me, I'd be suspicious too." Yue knelt down and tugged at her skirt. She was no longer wearing the grimy and torn outfit she had traveled in. Instead, she wore a clean blue dress with a white fur trim at the collar. Zuko could tell the fabric was faded from its original shade, and the trim was grayer than it should have been, but there was no denying the simple way it enhanced her beauty. Of course at this point, any woman in a clean dress would be beautiful to him - though perhaps not as beautiful as Yue.

" – took some talking, but I at least got the council to agree to meet with you."

Zuko shook himself and refocused on the discussion at hand. His uncle and Yue were talking about their next step.

Yue continued speaking. "They will speak with you tomorrow. Master Pakku especially said he looked forward to seeing you again, General Iroh. Until then, will you accompany me to the dining hall? Most of the base eats together, and I offer you what we have to spare."

"I'd be honored."

"So there's going to be food?" Aang finally woke up from his nap. "Great! I was just getting hungry."

Yue guided them along the walkway to a big pavilion, built in the same style as the hut but in better repair. Zuko noticed that even with Yue's assistance, their escort remained. Were he directing security, he'd order extra protection around the leader as well. He wasn't offended by sensible precautions – it was the hatred that burned (hah) in the eyes of the guards that worried him. He'd run from too many mobs eager to take their troubles out on the nearest target.

The inside of the pavilion was as simple as the outside. The floor was made of wooden boards, but in better repair than the rough planks of the hut. Long, low tables were spaced across the room at regular intervals, with a reed mat rolled out on either side. The tables were piled high with food. Rice bowls every few feet of course, but there was more. Zuko could tell from the smirks of Gen and his men that he was supposed to cringe at the sight of the enormous insect skewers, but once you'd been at sea for three months and eaten the maggots crawling in your rice and called it "protein" (and this when you were still, technically, the prince), the idea of eating what appeared to be a roasted and perhaps even carefully spiced swamp bug was not that appalling.

Not that he didn't have some trepidation, but really, he thought they would know better. Zuko was in exile. He knew to be grateful for whatever food he got no matter how many legs it had.

He sat down where Yue directed him, his uncle and Aang on either side. The guards warily joined them, holding themselves stiffly as it to say a shared meal was no sign of friendship from them. Zuko didn't think they needed to bother. He knew where he stood.

Once they were settled, Yue murmured her apologies and darted off to a raised platform at the far end of the building. It, too, was covered in a mat and the table that stood there was of somewhat better make. Judging by the men and women who sat behind it, Zuko guessed that it was the head table, where the council sat. He was a little surprised to see that the platters on that table appeared to hold the same food as what the rest of the hall had. Special privilege only went so far here.

There were no opening speeches or other ceremonial acts. Once you sat down, you started eating. Zuko watched his uncle reach out and carefully select a particular insect skewer, one with a very green bug on it. On watching him bite into it, Aang started to turn a very similar shade of green.

"Can't handle rebel food, kid?" asked one of the two earthbenders. Even by earthbending standards, the man was exceptionally stocky and muscular. "You better get used to it."

"Er, I'm a monk," answered Aang, cringing back from the skewer the man had thrust in his face. "We're vegetarians."

"You can't afford to be that picky here. You take what you're given." He dropped the skewer in front of Aang. "Now eat it."

Zuko scowled. It was one thing to target him or his uncle, but the kid's only real crime was being in their company. While Aang's vegetarianism had caused no end of trouble before, Zuko considered himself the only person allowed to be annoyed by it. He snatched the skewer away and handed Aang a rice ball. "You don't have to. Try one of these instead."

Aang accepted the rice ball with gratitude. It was wrapped in some kind of leaf. He bit into it and opened his eyes wide, shouting, "Hot! Hot! Hot!" Tears started to run out of his eyes.

The heckler started to laugh. Zuko glared at him and took a large bite out of his skewer. He swiped at the insect innards that trickled down his cheek.

A man with a long moustache and longer hair a few seats away looked up at Aang's distress. "Bite into the rice," he advised, "that will cool you down."

Aang obeyed and smiled. "Hey, that worked! Thank you, mister." He chewed a moment and swallowed. "My name's Aang. What's yours?"

"Haru," the moustache man said. "I take it you've never had a fireball before?"

"Not the edible kind!" said Aang cheerfully.

Zuko did a double take. Of course that's what those rice balls were! He kicked himself for not recognizing the telltale orange-flecked green of the firetongue leaf. He would never have expected to see a Fire Nation standby here, of all places.

Haru noticed his surprise. "I know it's odd, but there are some of us that no matter how much we hate the Fire Nation, can't bring ourselves to give up on the food. It's just too good."

Aang perked up on hearing that. After carefully finishing the fireball – making sure to alternate between tiny bites of the outside leaf and bigger bites of the inside rice, Zuko noted – he asked Haru, "So, not everything from the Fire Nation is bad, right?"

Before Haru could respond, the heckling man snorted. "That," he pointed to the platter of fireballs, "is an Earth Kingdom dish. The firetongue bush is native to the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation stole it. Like they steal everything."

"It must be remembered," interjected Iroh, "that the idea of wrapping rice balls in firetongue leaves did not occur until my ancestors experimented with it several centuries ago. So really, this meal," he reached out and picked one up for himself, "represents the communion between our two peoples."

The heckler sneered in response. Haru, on the other hand, followed Iroh's lead in helping himself to a fireball. "You know," he said after taking a bite, "I never thought of it that way."

Zuko was considering how to respond when there was a commotion up at the head table. The council was beating their hands against the tabletop, a gesture that spread throughout the room. Men and women quieted their conversations and began to drum against the tables in time to the council's beat. Haru and the guards set their food down to do the same.

After a few moments of drumming in unison, Yue stood up on the dais. She raised her hands palm up towards the sky, a gesture that silenced the entire room.

"My fellow freedom fighters," she began, "I am honored to be in your presence once more. We are strongest when we are together. The Fire Nation is right to fear us!" Her words drew a few cheers and short burst of drumming. She waited until the room was quiet again before speaking. "And they do fear our rebellion. The Fire Lord herself tried to break me. But for the bravery of my new friends, I would not be able to stand before you today." Zuko tensed at her words. The subsequent low murmurings and sharp glances his way concerned him. Yue paid no heed to the sounds and plowed ahead with her speech. "But those who left with me did not return. I ask that you join with me in beseeching the Spirits to guide those who fell in our battle to their rest." She bowed her head. "May they find peace and renewal in the cycle, and if their souls must linger on this earth, may it be measured in hours and not years."

A solemn silence fell over the room. Zuko saw both his uncle and Aang bowing their heads as well, and he followed suit. He found his thoughts turning to the men he had killed aboard the _Exterminator._ At least those who died at sea were not known to plague the living – though that would be little comfort to the families they left behind.

After an appropriate amount of time, Yue raised her head and hands once more. "I give thanks to the Spirit of the Ocean, the Spirit of the Forest, and the Spirit of the Swamp for their many blessings. As much as they take, much is given. In my travels, I discovered the most wonderful news. The Avatar has returned!"

Zuko snorted water up his nose mid-drink. The Avatar had returned? But that was impossible! He should know. He had spent years looking for him! If the Avatar was back shouldn't he have heard something? He turned towards his uncle, expecting to find Iroh similarly shocked, only to see him merely stroke his chin thoughtfully. His uncle's expression was contemplative, but not surprised.

"The Avatar!" breathed the heckler. "When we join with him, there's no way the Fire Nation can stand against us."

Gen nodded. "We can get rid of them. Once and for all."

Aang, even though he hadn't known what the Avatar was until a few weeks ago, was gripping the reed mat's edge tightly. When he realized Zuko was looking at him, he jumped, ripping little bits of reed away. "I don't think the Avatar is about killing like that," he said quietly.

"We don't need to kill them all," said another one of the guards. "When Avatar Kyoshi was faced with a power-mad conqueror, she created a whole new island on top of offing that snake. I'm sure the Avatar can build a barrier big enough the Fire Nation never leaves their own damn islands ever again. And if he pitches the royal family into a volcano while he's at it, good riddance. Er, present company excluded." In the part of his mind not buzzing with this revelation, Zuko was surprised to see the guard act embarrassed by his final sentiment. "Maybe," he added a moment later.

Zuko couldn't even bother being offended by the backtracking. He was still struggling to come to terms with Yue's statement. She hadn't struck him as the sort of person who would lie, but he hadn't seen her in a political setting. Claiming the Avatar was back was the sort of morale booster she could use, whether or not it was true. But the joy in her voice seemed honest – was she telling the truth? She hadn't said a word to him in all their time together. Not to him, or to Aang it seemed. There was a chance she confided in his uncle – how else could he explain Iroh's serene response? If Iroh had known, Zuko was hurt he hadn't been told. This was the _Avatar_. He'd almost dedicated his entire life to searching for him. And now he knew that somewhere out there, the Avatar was alive and that he had failed to find him.

Amidst the uproar and cries for more information, Yue spoke once more. "I cannot say who he is or where he is, but he is out there. The balance will be restored."

The meal over, people began to disperse, talking excitedly about the news. Before he took his leave, Haru tapped Aang on the shoulder. "It was good to meet you. And you too," he added, nodding towards Zuko and Iroh. "With the Avatar back, perhaps someday we will eat again under better conditions? I've always wondered what a fireball was like made by an experienced Fire Nation chef."

Zuko watched the man go. His presence had been a welcome relief when compared to their charming guards. Whatever tentative truce the dinner had brought about was over. He could tell Gen was itching to hold his spear again.

"Get moving," ordered the Water Tribe leader, his grip firm on his weapon, "I don't want to spend more time babysitting you lot than I have to."

They pulled themselves into the now familiar formation and marched back to the holding hut. Now that night had fallen, the main boardwalks had torches lit at intervals. The flickering light made the uneven boards at least visible as Zuko stumbled along. They were almost there when a young girl, wearing a ragged green tunic so large it served as a dress, ran up to them, her dirty bare feet slapping against the planks with each step. The guard who had taunted Aang scowled at her.

"Ushi! Get away from here! These are dangerous men and I don't want you anywhere them!"

The girl bobbed in a quick bow, her long and tangled dark hair falling down over her eyes. She shoved it away and said, "Dad! I'm fine." Ushi peered at the three "dangerous men" who were standing very close together indeed. The guard escort had closed in tight the instant she had approached. "They don't look very dangerous. And one of them doesn't look any older than me."

Aang squirmed against Zuko to get a better look at the girl. He smiled and waved. She waved back with equal cheer. "Didn't the princess say they rescued her? That practically makes them heroes!"

"So they say," rumbled her father. "But the council hasn't cleared them. Go back to your aunt, Ushi. I'm sure she needs help putting your little brother to bed."

"I can't," she sing-songed. "Not yet. I have a message to deliver from Master Pakku."

"Then deliver your message and be gone," ordered Gen. Beside him, her father nodded sharply.

Ushi clasped her hands in front of her and recited, "Master Pakku says that he would be most happy to host General Iroh tonight and prove to the general once and for all that he is indeed the master of pai sho and that his win from last time was not a fluke regardless of what anyone else ever said. The end."

"An invitation that I am most pleased to accept," Iroh said. He tried to step forward, only to be blocked by the crossed spears of the guards. "That is, if my escort agrees with this change of plans."

Zuko doubted that Gen would allow such a thing. In that they were in agreement. Being split up, as far as Zuko was concerned, was a horrible idea. He did not trust these people enough to let either Iroh or Aang out of his sight. But despite Gen's sour expression, it was clear that Master Pakku was important - maybe even a member of these rebels' council. A waterbending master deprived of his bending but not of his influence – that was a man to watch out for.

"If Master Pakku wishes it," said Gen grudgingly, "then he can meet with the general. Bao," he said, gesturing to Ushi's father, "you're in charge. Chang and I will escort him to Master Pakku. I don't want the man who took Cao Wei] wandering about. Keep your eyes on the targets. A relief will be sent later. I want a bender on guard at all times around the prisoners."

"I believe," rumbled Iroh, "that we are guests."

Gen shot him a very cold look. "I want a bender on guard at all times around the _guests_."

In short order, Zuko saw his uncle be taken away, escorted with much resentment by the two guards. Iroh must have read his displeasure on his face, because before he left he leaned forward and whispered, "Don't you worry. A meeting with Master Pakku is precisely what we need right now. Just keep an eye on Aang and all will be well." At those words, he gave a discreet meaningful nod to an absorbed Aang, who was enthusiastically chatting with Ushi.

Unfortunately, Iroh wasn't the only one who had picked up Aang making new friends. As soon as Ushi was sent safely away, Bao turned to Aang and thrust his face in front of Aang's.

"Don't think I didn't see you. Others might believe your story of "rescuing" the princess, but I know better."

Aang stood his ground. "But it's the truth."

Bao sneered. "I don't need to hear these lies. And stay away from my daughter."

He gestured to the other guards to return to their original formation and with one more angry glare at the two prisoners – because despite Iroh's words, Zuko could tell how Bao viewed them – they began their return to the holding hut. But Aang was never one to pick up on such subtle cues.

"Why don't you believe us?" asked Aang. He seemed to have gotten over his initial fears of the guards' hatred, and was in what Zuko mentally referred to as his monk mode. His voice took on that same pleading/earnest tone it had when he had convinced Zuko to rescue Yue – and when he'd tried to talk to that Fire Nation soldier. Which had almost gotten them killed.

Bao spun around. "Because you're lying! What sort of idiots do you think we are to believe that you went against your own family and interests to save someone you'd never met, who coincidentally happened to be key to the rebellion?" His voice grew even harsher. "A lot of good people died on that mission. And only the most valuable target survived."

While Zuko knew their story was unbelievable (he had a hard time believing it himself), it wasn't like they had been in a position to save anyone else outside of Yue. Who had saved him and Aang about as much they saved her.

"I'd say it would be even more implausible if we'd somehow managed to rescue an entire contingent of rebels," retorted Zuko. "We only got there after the princess was captured, and Aang demanded that we get her out. Whatever happened before that was not our fault."

"A likely story," Bao sneered and then continued walking, giving Zuko a shove to follow. Having aired his grievance, he seemed willing to complete his job. Undoubtedly he was eager to leave the company of the two firebenders he so despised. But Aang, the oh so honest Aang, wasn't willing to let Zuko's version of the story stand.

"You're right," the kid said. "We could have done more. We only knew where Yue was because we saw the _Exterminator_ take her ship. And we – I – didn't do anything to stop it." He hung his head. "And now all those people are dead. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" In the dim light, Zuko saw Bao turn to face Aang. "All you can say is _sorry_?" He clenched his fists and started forward. One of his fellow guards reached out to grab his arm, but he shook the other man away. "My wife was on that ship, you little brat!"

Aang cringed beneath the man's rage. If they survived this, Zuko was going to have a talk with Aang about pissing off the dangerously unstable. The better to have that chance, he stepped forward and shoved the kid behind him. "Then your wife died a warrior's death," Zuko told the man. "At least attempt to honor that sacrifice."

He straightened to meet Bao's eyes, fully aware of how much the other man wanted to attack. He could hear the harsh breathing of all who were present, bodies tensing in anticipation of the explosion about to occur. After a few charged moments during which Zuko frantically calculated the survival odds of both him and Aang, the earthbender backed off. Bao turned around and started walking. Zuko relaxed, relieved that some common sense had prevailed over the desire for vengeance. He began to follow their escorts, though he made sure to remain between Bao and Aang. They just had a little further to go. All he had to do was make sure everyone stayed calm.

"I really am sorry."

Zuko had only a split second to curse Aang's inability to keep his mouth shut before Bao spun around and _stomped_. He must have been a powerful bender, because even without direct contact, the earth responded to his command. The rippling earth ripped through the wooden walkway, splintering the wood and propelling him into Aang. But before Zuko could regain his balance, another ripple of earth surged beneath their feet and sent the two tumbling through the air. The force of Bao's anger knocked them through the nearby palisade and into the dark depths of the swamp.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Zuko landed in a mud puddle with a splat. Up above, he could hear the cries of the guards. He hoped they were chewing Bao out big time for his stupidity. He sat up, wincing at the bruises that were already forming, and carefully conjured a small flame in the palm of his hand. In the flickering light, he saw that he was on a small jut of earth that radiated from a tree trunk. "Aang!" he hissed. No one answered. He cautiously circled the tree, seeking for any signs of a path. The mud squelched around his boots. His torchlight failed to show him any suggestion of well-trodden ground. He could see a few stretches of muddy earth, but when he walked along one or another, they quickly degenerated into the swampy waters. Probably shallow enough to walk in, but no guarantee for how long.

He considered remaining where he was and waiting for the search party that was no doubt being organized at that moment. Losing prisoners – or guests – like that was bad form. But the idea of waiting around to be rescued was particularly galling, especially with Aang equally lost out there. Zuko shuddered at the image of how much trouble Aang could find. Alone. In a swamp that everyone agreed was a death-trap incarnate. If the searchers even bothered to look for them, it would be better if they found them together.

Zuko picked a direction at random and set off, calling out every few steps for Aang. He didn't know how long he walked, slogging through mud and knee- deep pools. The air was still as humid as the swamp ever was, except it felt cool and clammy against his skin. There was no sign of a search party – or of anyone else. Zuko wanted to stop and find a safe spot to wait out the night, to dry out and get some rest, but he couldn't until he found Aang. If either of them were considered missing for too long, the rebels would probably decide they "escaped." Zuko wouldn't Aang to end up in the welcoming arms of _that_ search party.

"Aang!" he called again, though still softly. Even with his small light, the mist that rose up over the water made it nigh impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. Aang could be a stone's throw away and Zuko wouldn't know. Vines hung down from the trees, obscuring his path even more. He pushed and struggled to part them, letting the flame in his hand go out to move aside the vines with both hands. Without the firelight, his eyes adjusted a little to what ambient light there was in the swamp. Some starlight must have filtered down, because the darkness slowly grew less in his eyes – no longer pitch black, but subtle shades of black and gray.

After reaching a small clearing, Zuko paused a moment to examine the swamp around him on all sides. There was more light out there than starlight, he realized. In small flashes and glimpses, he could see a faint flow of white light in the distance. The light bobbed up and down, as if from the lamp of some other wanderer. It was the wrong color to be a firebender's flame, but Zuko found himself drawn to it. Perhaps the lamp-wielder could help him. And if they turned out to be an enemy and not an ally, well, he was still a firebender. Like Gen well knew, he was never truly unarmed.

He drew closer to the flickering light. In the space between two trees, he could make out the faint shape of a person, the lines of their body obscured by a cloak. When he crossed half the distance that remained between then, the figure turned and drew the hood away. By the soft glow that suffused the scene, Zuko could make out a face he had not seen in years. Long black hair pulled up high and away, the better to reveal the kind eyes that turned towards him, just like his last memory of her.

It was his mother.

He started running, leaping over fallen logs and splashing through the water. Of course! If the rebels had found refuge here, then his mother could have as well. "Mom!" he shouted, forgetting the need for discretion. "Mom, it's me!"

He stumbled to a halt in front of her and made to embrace her. She stepped back and stared down at him, her face distant and confused. Zuko became all too aware of how much he had grown, of how much he had changed. She had left her son young and whole, and here he stood before her a grown man, half his face destroyed. Of course she wouldn't recognize him. He tried again. "Mom, it's Zuko. Your son."

"My son?" she said. Her voice was just as he remembered it. She studied him closely a moment, and then her eyes lit up. "My son! It is you. You've found me at last. I knew you would." Her arms stretched out and held him, warm and strong. Zuko returned the embrace with equal emotion.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he found himself saying. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't look for you. I –I thought you were dead and I was too ashamed of what I'd done to try and learn if you were alive. I failed you. Forgive me."

She hugged him back all the more. "I will always forgive you. You are my son. I lost you and now I have you back. I will never let you go."

He sank deeper into her embrace. Her warmth enveloped him and drew him back to better days, years ago when he was just a boy. When he had trusted that his mother could fix all problems, that no matter what missteps he made, everything would turn out well in the end. When he still believed his father's distant and cold ways were due to the mysterious troubles of adults, and if he tried harder, his father would love him back. When Azula's cruelties were just the penalty of having a baby sister, and surely his mother would intercede and everything will be okay.

Cold fingers traced the scar on his cheek. "You've been hurt," his mother said. "I would hurt those who hurt you. Who took you from me."

There was something wet on Zuko's cheek. Was he crying? "Who took me?" he asked. He tried to disentangle himself from her arms. She responded only by holding him tighter. "Nobody took me. They took you. You had to leave, I know you did." He swallowed. "I wish you had taken me with you."

She reached up and stroked his hair, as if he were still a little boy, and clutched him closer to her chest. "I'm sorry. I'll take you with me this time. Never leave you. Never again, my son."

From a long way away, Zuko could hear someone shouting. He moved to respond, realizing how tempting a target they were. What if something dangerous was headed their way? To die after finally finding his mother - what a horrible fate that would be. But despite that distant commotion, his mother did not let go. She kept murmuring in his ear, "My son, my son."

Warmth spread through him at those words. He hadn't heard those words, that voice, in so very long. He probably hadn't heard anything, not really. Surely if someone was approaching his mother would let go, would let him defend her. Would defend him. She had always told him that a mother protected her children. He gave himself over to this moment a little longer. After years of thinking her dead or disappeared, he could have a few more minutes without worrying about the rest of the world.

Only the shouts didn't stop. They grew louder and louder. Zuko struggled to turn and face them, only for his mother to tighten her grip. "_You_," she hissed, her voice colder and angrier than he had ever heard it, "I don't care what you say. I won't. You can't take my son from me. Never!"

That's right, Zuko wanted to say, no one is taking my mother from me again. Except he couldn't get the words out. There was something stopping him, almost as if he couldn't breathe, which was ridiculous because he was with his mother and she wouldn't let something happen to him and why couldn't he turn around and face whatever was threatening them? Threatening her?

He struggled to pull away from her, to extricate himself so he could defend her, but his limbs felt sluggish and tired, as if they were heavy and weighed down. There was more shouting going on, but it was over his head and garbled, his mother's voice against another's. Younger and higher-pitched and angry. He should know that voice. But from where? It was so hard to think, to focus on any one thought. All he had wanted was to let go, to just be a son with his mother …

There was a crash. Zuko's world rippled, distorted, and changed. The clearing he had stood in vanished. He was deep underwater, too deep to stand in. His lungs burned for air and he could barely see which way was up. He kicked once, and then kicked again, struggling to orient himself. He had almost no air left and there was this pressure against him, a voice whispering in his ear, _no don't leave me don't leave me_. There was such pain in the voice, such loneliness, but Zuko forced himself to ignore it as he swam to the surface. The voice screamed with rage when he broke through and gasped for air.

A woman floated over the waters, dressed the same way his mother had been. But this was not his mother - this was some pale and frightening creature, skin too white to be alive, eyes too dark and glassy to be human. The glow that emanated from her bathed the scene in a pale white light. She stretched her long, gnarled fingers towards him and he swam backwards, trying to stay afloat and breathe at the same time. How long had he been under? Each breathe sharpened his mind further and further, making him wonder what had just happened.

"My son," the woman-thing cried out, "my son, why are you trying to leave me?"

"Because he isn't your son," came another voice. Zuko turned his head towards the sound. Aang was crouched on a log, a broken branch in his hand. He extended the branch towards Zuko and used it to pull him to the safety of the log. "And you were killing him."

The creature screeched and rushed towards them. Zuko struggled to hold onto the log which roiled in the face of the suddenly turbulent water. One clawed hand snagged him on the wrist and pulled, the icy fingers searing into his flesh. He grabbed at the log with his free hand, but the slippery bark offered little support against the attack. It was dragging him away and back down into the water. Back to drown. He kicked out and tried to summon the presence of mind for the breath of fire - everything else was too wet - but when he turned to face the creature, it once again wore the face of his mother. What power he had summoned fled from him at the sight.

She smiled at him. "I'm doing this for you. You'll thank me when it's done."

The creature began to sink down into the water, her other hand reaching forward to clasp his. He tried to fight, but she was too strong. And would it really be that bad? To be with his mother forever?

But this was not his mother. His mother, his real mother, would tell him to never give up...

A blast of fire struck the water, right where the creature was. It went straight through her, straight through the mother-faced thing. And it screamed, letting Zuko go once more. He kicked clear as fast as he could and Aang took advantage of the opening to fire once more, a steady wave of darts of flame that seared the creature. The pool was getting uncomfortably hot from the fire and steam rose from the surface. Zuko swam away, ignoring the shrieks of the creature. It had reverted to that horrible shape, but he could still hear his mother's voice crying out in pain.

"Let him go," threatened Aang, "or I won't stop."

The wind of an impending storm swept through the clearing, the sound of it rushing through the trees combining with the howls of the creature. By then, Zuko had reached the shore and pulled himself onto the high ground. He turned to face the creature, forcing himself to exert enough control over the breath so that he too could fight should it attack once more. The woman-thing faced him, the black eyes bright with pain and anger. And then it dropped down into the pool, vanishing without a ripple. The scene dimmed to near darkness once more, the creature's glow gone.

He staggered to his feet, the sudden flames having stolen his night-vision away. "Aang?" he called, struggling to return the light to his palm.

Aang appeared by his elbow almost instantly.

"Come on!" he shouted, grabbing Zuko's arm. "That was a real ghost, and we should go, because I have no idea what to do if it comes back!"

"Where were you?" asked Zuko as he stumbled after Aang, who walked through the darkness as if he knew precisely where he was going. "Why did you run off? They would have let us back in."

"The laughing girl," said Aang. "I had to follow her. And then I met the swamp, and it said it was sick, and that I had to be careful because there were bad things about. And then I asked about you, and it said that you were in trouble and told me what to do. And now we're going to go meet Huu, he introduced me to the swamp. I think you'll like him."

Zuko let all of this wash over him, too tired to try and puzzle out how Aang was going about meeting swamps. He made a small effort to yell at Aang for following the laughing girl, since that sounded like the same logic that led him to almost being killed by a ghost. But he couldn't muster up the energy to follow through on the lecture. This bone-deep tiredness weighed more heavily on him than the escape from the _Exterminator_ had. Once he was alert again, then he could yell. At Aang for being foolish (for surely Aang had done something foolish) and then at Bao, for putting them in danger in the first place.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Yue thought sleep would come easy to her on her first night back at the base. Her room was not exactly a luxurious den of comfort, but it was hers, her little private space. There wasn't much more than a bed and chest to store what few spare clothes she had. But as befitting her status, the floorboards were covered with a reed mat and there was a window with a shutter she could open if she wanted fresh air. Her bedroll was comfortable and the war constantly waged against small insects was largely in her favor - she rarely woke covered in bug bites when she slept here, even after she had been away a long time. Someone kept the bedding fresh on a regular basis. She could hang her boomerang on the hook by the door and know she didn't need to sleep with it close by.

All of these things meant that she usually slept well here. Except tonight she found herself tossing and turning. The meeting with the council hadn't been a happy one. Mei Ling, the master earthbender who recently joined her forces to their rebellion, had been vocal in her resistance to extending sanctuary to General Iroh and Zuko. Years ago, she had led troops against the general, and Master Mei Ling refused to believe that such a man as that could ever become an ally. It was clear from her attitude that Yue's arguments otherwise were foolish, the words of a girl too charmed by her rescuers to question their true motives. Even Master Pakku speaking on Iroh's behalf could not sway her.

Unfortunately, placating the woman was necessary. She was too influential a member of the council to be ignored. And she wasn't the only one voicing loud suspicions.

It had taken everything Yue had had to stop them from ordering General Iroh's execution for war crimes. And Zuko's too, though that was an afterthought. Aang was already safe enough. While she gave lip service to Aang as the exiled royals' firebending ward (probably the bastard child of a soldier and some Earth Kingdom woman), the council did agree that even if his firebending was a mark against him, he was still a boy and not at fault. Small mercies.

Of course, Yue knew that if Iroh were taken, it wouldn't matter if they didn't plan to kill Zuko. He'd attack anyway, without thought for his own safety. He might hold himself back for Aang's sake, but given Aang's own likely reaction, it would be a nasty battle. All for nothing, too, because these people had trouble seeing what a resource she had brought. Didn't they realize what an alliance with Zuko could mean?

Yes, he was a member of the royal family - that was the point! There existed a chance, however slight that it was, for him and Iroh to not only help them, but to bring _other_ firebenders over to the cause. She was the one who was out there, trying to contact any splinter rebel groups that she could and draw them together under one banner. There were rumors, good ones, of Fire Nation citizens, both on the continent and back among their native islands, who were angry with the Phoenix King. Who had found the great future he'd promised them full of lies, because there was still death and destruction at every step, made all the worse when one could not even be granted rest after death.

Yue had pondered for the past few years the potential benefits of investigating those rumors and perhaps joining with whatever rebellious elements there were in the Fire Nation. Such thoughts had not gone very far, because she had doubted the willingness of her own people and these hypothetical Fire Nation rebels to build a strong alliance. All of that was before she had met Zuko and Iroh, two men who could surely exert more influence in that area than she could. General Iroh had almost been Fire Lord, for Spirits' sake. And Zuko, too, had taken a turn as the designated heir.

Mei Ling had dismissed those arguments in an instant. Yue had wanted to scream - she'd been very tempted to add in the final detail, that the boy who traveled with those two men was the Avatar. Did Mei Ling want to ruin the goodwill of the one being they could all agree was dedicated to making things right? But she had promised Aang, and instead spoke of his return only in terms of rumors, albeit extremely accurate ones. That, at least, had served as distracting enough news to convince the council to grant the firebenders a safe stay.

How to deal with the impending attack from the _Flaming Fist_ hadn't even been touched on. Yue feared that tomorrow would be more of the same - debate about Iroh and Zuko going on forever instead of discussing the new threat. The Fire Nation's previous failures had made the Rebellion too complacent in the protections the swamp afforded them. Oh, they acknowledged that the news of another airfleet was valuable intelligence, but faith in the protection of the swamp made the immediacy of the threat pass most of the council by.

But Yue knew the enemy was close, and that they needed to plan for attack. She would not rely only on the swamp to keep them safe, not when everything she had worked for was at stake. For every warrior here, there were two civilians. Yue did not doubt those untrained men and women would fight to protect their home, but it wouldn't be enough. What could they do from the ground, when the enemy came from above? Where could they send the children to be safe?

All these thoughts and more kept whirling through her head. Yue gave up on sleep and stepped out of her room. If she was going to do nothing but worry, she was going to do it while moving. Perhaps a walk would clear her head.

She walked down the corridor, heading towards the door that led outside. Like everything in the base, the dormitory she lived in had been built over the past few years. The swampbenders hadn't been ones for large buildings, favoring instead shelters built for individual families. Those huts were still the standard, but the newcomers, herself included, had arranged for other structures to be built.

As welcoming as her distant cousins had been, Yue sometimes felt guilty for the upheaval she and her people had caused in their lives. Given the protections of the swamp, if the Northern Water Tribe hadn't come here, and in turn, if they hadn't based the rebellion here, the swampbenders would have been able to maintain the safety of their isolation. Been able to keep to their traditions and ways without outsiders coming in and changing things. Wasn't that one of the crimes laid at the Fire Nation's feet, the imposing of their culture over those they conquered?

But there had had nowhere else to go. Yue remembered what her father had once told her, when she had questioned one of his decisions as chief. That sometimes there was no right choice, only a series of bad ones: when that happened, what a leader owed her people was to choose what caused the least harm – and regardless of her choosing, to see the consequences through to the best of her ability.

Yue meditated on this as she walked through the night. She passed by Master Pakku's door, noting the light that crept out through the cracks. She heard quiet voices within. It appeared he'd managed to have General Iroh as his guest. She was only a little surprised to see no guards by the doors. Gen would have insisted, she knew, but if Pakku didn't want them there, he'd be able to out-stubborn anything Gen no matter how he argued. Losing his bending hadn't deprived Master Pakku of his willpower - or made him any less dangerous. Any waterbender as trained as he could handle himself in battle with and without bending. He still made periodic complaints at the number of women serving as warriors in the army, but it didn't stop him from teaching what he knew to recruits regardless of gender. Pakku was ruthless and pragmatic. Yue liked to think that even if things had been different, she would have found him a wise ally and a good friend.

She lingered by his door a moment, considering whether or not to knock. A conversation with a pair of wise old men like Pakku and Iroh would go a long way in dealing with the numerous problems that buzzed in her mind. Likely those were the same concerns they were trading information about. She raised one hand to knock, cocking her head to the side in order to better hear what was going on within. If they were occupied, she would leave.

"Does she know?"

She? Yue dropped her hand and listened.

"She does not. Though she is aware, on some level. It was her confidences that brought me to consider the possibility."

It was a few moments before Pakku responded. "If you are right, the balance of this war will shift greatly in our favor. It's an advantage we're going to need soon."

"Too soon," came Iroh's quiet response. "The attack could come any day now. Unless Princess Yue becomes the Moon Spirit before the fleet arrives, everyone here is doomed."

Yue staggered back from the door, trying to process what she had just overheard. She started to retreat down the hall, away from this insane speculation – but she'd barely gone more than a few feet before she steeled herself and spun around. She would not tolerate a discussion like that going on without her. She needed to know. Yue shoved the door to Master Pakku's room open.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded, uncaring of the sharp look Pakku shot her way when she burst into his room. He and the general were sitting cross-legged on the floor, a low table resting between them. On top of it was a pai sho board, the battered ivory tiles with their faded paint scattered about in a half finished game. Similarly abandoned tea cups rested by each man, a few swallows left in each cup. Iroh made to speak, but Yue cut him off before he could. "The Moon Spirit. Explain."

"There's a reason why it is ill-advised to be listening at another's conversation," Pakku snapped as he glared up at her.

Yue didn't back down. She ignored Iroh's gesture for her to sit, preferring to keep the advantage of height. "I do intelligence work, Master Pakku. I listen at a lot of keyholes. So tell me. What. About. _The Moon Spirit_."

"The fact that the Moon Spirit healed you as an infant means that you might carry a piece of its spiritual essence within you. Even in the light of the dead moon your eyes shine with power," answered Iroh. He, at least, realized she was serious. There was no trace of his jolly old man persona in his voice when he spoke to her. "We were discussing whether it means you could restore that imbalance, taking its place."

"It's only a small chance," Pakku added. "Very unlikely. If you did possess such a power, it should have manifested years ago, after Tui first died."

A small chance. Unlikely. But still a chance. A living moon could change so much for the better. Return power to the waterbenders. Soothe an agitated and angry ocean. Maybe even offer some peace to the restless dead. Such a thing would heal at least a fraction of what Zhao had destroyed.

It would grant the rebellion a fighting chance to face the Fire Nation on equal terms, as well. Her people fought, and fought well, but Yue knew that as matters stood, even with the might of the Avatar behind them, they were still outmatched by the armies of the Fire Nation. A change would be needed on an incredible scale for the world to be restored to what it had once been. A change as big as the resurrection of a fundamental aspect of the balance.

That change, if it were true, would come from her.

When Iroh told her to sit down a second time, Yue obeyed, slumping to her knees with a lack of royal grace. A thought crossed her mind - a selfish thought. Compared against what they stood to gain, a horrible and selfish thought.

"What would happen to me?" she whispered.

Pakku shrugged. His eyes were not uncaring, but neither were they empathetic. If there was any way to restore the Water Tribe, he would do it, whatever the price, and he expected the same from her. She had fought by his side for ten years. She knew where his priorities lay. They had been the same as hers, except for that one time years before when she had tried to carve out an escape just for herself. But she had come to her senses and returned to the cause.

"You must understand, Princess, that we are speaking in hypotheticals," said Iroh. When this response didn't placate her, he sighed and continued speaking. "For certain Yue the mortal woman will cease to be. Whether the original Moon Spirit, Tui, emerges from you and return to her place in the heavens, or if an aspect of you will do the same, that is a question for someone wiser in the ways of the Spirit World than I. What we are discussing is unprecedented."

Unprecedented. What a distant way to talk about the matter, about whether she would live or die. No, her death was certain. Iroh was right. He was right about all of this. The revelation of her true nature could not be denied. It explained the Avatar's word's and her own vision of Tui from before. She had always wondered how she could repay the Moon Spirit for the gift of her life and it turned out the answer was just that - to return the life she had been given.

Every breath she had taken since the first one lying in the Spirit Oasis had been due to Tui's gift. Yue knew what she had to do – knew that there was no question of her not doing it. She had always known she would give her life for the cause, for the pursuit of freedom for all. And this would be a greater and more meaningful end than dying in battle.

She swallowed and spoke in an even and steady voice. "Have you two honored gentlemen determined how this can be done?"

Pakku's answer was as to the point as always. "No."

"It is a matter that requires further consideration," said Iroh. "Thankfully, we are in a place of great spiritual import. I hope that if the opportunity arises, the way will be made known to you."

Yue managed a regal nod and carefully rose to her feet. "I thank you for this information. My apologies for interrupting your game. I must - " She broke off, unable to finish the sentence.

Neither man commented as she fled the room. She was grateful for that. Yue had come to them hoping for answers to her problems, and instead discovered a far greater problem that belonged to her alone.

She stumbled into her quarters, gripping the door frame for support. Her hand brushed against something hard, and it clattered to the floor. She stooped to pick up her boomerang and barely made it to her pallet before collapsing. She traced the edge of the weapon she held in her hands, feeling the cool touch of the ivory beneath her fingertips. In her more wistful moments, she had dreamed of the day she would reunite with Sokka. He'd forgive her for leaving and she'd forgive him for not following and together they'd build a new life. It would be after the war, of course, once she had won and peace was restored, and it was a beautiful dream. She'd never thought it would happen, but she had been able to pretend. Now even that dream was lost to her.

She hung her boomerang back on the door, and carefully lay down on her pallet. She'd seek out Huu tomorrow – he'd know the best way to contact the Spirits in the swamp. Everything would be made right. It had to be, to be worth it.

* * *

Azula watched the ground fly beneath her. They were traveling overland at speeds even the fastest Fire Nation ship in the days before the moon's death would have envied. Perhaps this display of force would end that pathetic rebellion once and for all. She doubted it, though. Even when you exterminated a nest, pigeonrats still found a way to spawn.

"Impressive isn't it, my lord?" remarked Zhao as he joined her by the observation window. "The _Flaming Fist_ is the finest the fleet has to offer. And to think, she is but the first of many."

He had a point, but the gloating was annoying. Azula brushed at an errant strand of hair while she studied the airship with care. "It is adequate, I suppose. Of course, the fuel requirements do have some limitations. I hear that we lose half of these ships in crashes once the coal runs out."

"The same risk any steamer runs," he riposted.

"But a ship at sea can still float," Azula pointed out. "I don't believe it works the same way up here."

"Yet here you are."

She smiled thinly. The point went to him. For now. "Here I am. Tell me, admiral, how soon until we reach our target?"

"Our passage has been exceptionally smooth. We will be in position in two and a half days." Zhao returned her smile. "How does the thought of a forest on fire at night sound to you?"

"Delightful." Azula returned her gaze to the passing green below. "Perfectly delightful."

* * *

Zuko woke up to the sound of people arguing. Aang and someone else were having at it, angry and loud. He struggled to get up, worried to hear the kid making them yet another enemy. An abortive attempt to stand sent him sprawling across the wooden floor of the hut with a grunt. His feet were all tangled up in blankets and he had to twist and kick to free them before trying once more. Staggering to his feet, Zuko lurched towards the entrance and shoved away the woven reed covering. In the dimness of early dawn, or, Zuko thought as he blinked at the sky, early dusk (how long had be been asleep?), Aang and Yue were apparently having a shouting match. The kid's arms were crossed and he was turned resolutely away from the princess, as she went on a tirade about her duty.

"Aang, I'm not asking you to be happy about this. I'm asking you to accept that I will do whatever I can for my people. For everyone. You of all people should be able to understand - "

"Well, maybe I don't want to understand!"

Zuko raised his left hand to brace himself against the doorway. He decided that as long as Aang wasn't making any new enemies, he wasn't going to bother with this until he had figured out what the hell had happened last night. He'd say he felt hungover, but he didn't remember drinking anything. Just Aang picking a fight with Bao, them getting knocked into the swamp, meeting up with his mother – Zuko's stomach lurched at the memory of that horrible creature speaking in his mother's voice – and after that, everything was fuzzy.

"Wake-up juice?"

Zuko turned to face the new voice, and for a second almost wished he hadn't. The man was naked. Well, not naked. He had on an ornamental collar and a green loincloth that spared Zuko the worst, but that was still more than Zuko ever wanted to see. He thrust a clay cup into Zuko's free hand. "Best thing for surviving the attacks of angry spirits. The heart needs to remember that it's alive."

"Huh?" Zuko asked, raising the cup to his lips. The instant his tongue touched the liquid, he regretted the motion. He'd drunk a lot of nasty things, including his own tea, but this put even his efforts to shame. He gagged. "What the hell is this?"

"Wake-up juice," said the stranger. His hair was gray and stuck out in wild tufts. "Take another sip. It grows on you."

Zuko desperately hoped he was being metaphorical, because he was relatively sure there _were_ things growing on this man. "That's strong enough to wake the dead, not just help you survive them," said Zuko, holding the cup as far away as possible.

The man shrugged. "The dead don't need help with that."

Aang broke off in his rebuttal to Yue – something about not leaving – and bounded over to Zuko. "You're awake!" he exclaimed. "We were getting worried."

Zuko eased himself down onto a conveniently placed log. "You were?"

"You've slept through an entire day," said Yue. Her clothes were different from what she had worn earlier – still in faded blues, but less formal and more suited to the humidity. Her hair was pulled back in a single simple braid that hung limply in the heat. She stood before him and bowed slightly. "On behalf of the council, I apologize for what happened. Bao should never have put you in such danger, and he is going to be disciplined."

"Well that makes everything all right, doesn't it?" Zuko set the cup down on the ground. "Why do you even put up with such a loose cannon?"

"We can't afford to be picky when it comes to benders as powerful as Bao," she said. "He wasn't always like this. But his wife died when the _Exterminator_ attacked us …" Yue gave a half shrug. "It doesn't matter that Lin Hua knew the risks. He loved her very much. But once he calmed down, he did lead the search party into the swamp. Except you'd both disappeared."

Zuko stared at the patterns of mud and moss beneath his feet. "Aang ran off first," he muttered.

"I didn't run off!" protested Aang. "Unlike _some_ people, I don't abandon my friends." He followed that remark with a glare at the princess, who returned it with her own sharp look. He turned back to Zuko. "But the swamp … it called to me. Huu can explain it better."

The stranger, Huu, nodded "It recognizes one such as the – uff!"

"One such as a monk like me!" finished Aang, acting as if he hadn't just stepped on Huu's foot. Zuko frowned at him – he knew Aang didn't like being referred to as a firebender, but there was no reason to be rude when it was the truth. "And there's something in there about time as an illusion. And pants," he babbled on. "Because we're all connected, you know? Like you're always telling me, about the fire and how it can be both life and death. The swamp is alive, but it's full of so much life it's also full of death, especially now that all those ghosts are around, and now the swamp is sick and infested with ghosts and that's why it told me where to find you, because when the ghosts stop haunting and start killing that makes the swamp sad, because that goes against the balance between life and death."

"Which is why - " broke in Yue, only for Aang to cut her off.

"Which is why nobody is going to be dying here," he said. "It would make the swamp sad."

The two started up again. It seemed Yue did not care if the swamp was going to be sad, because the balance needed to be restored and then even if the swamp would be sad, it would be happy, a statement Aang disagreed with and Zuko - Zuko had no idea what the swamp's potential emotional state had to do with anything.

Huu's only contribution to the debate was that, "Life and death are but two points on the same circle. Who's to say where death ends and life begins?"

Zuko understood that even less than what Aang and Yue were talking about. It sounded like Aang thought Yue was leaving him, or dying, or both, but he sounded far too wounded about it for the dying part to be true. Fed up, Zuko intervened.

"Would everyone just be quiet?" Nothing happened. He repeated himself, this time punctuating with a flash of fire. That got their attention. Now for some questions answered.

"First," he started. "What attacked me? It looked like - " his voice broke a moment, then recovered, "it looked like my mother."

"It wasn't," said Huu. "Spirits change form to draw in their prey. The undead are always seeking to connect with the living, and they are often confused. They reach out to anyone who reminds them of what they lost. A ghost who lost her child will accept any child, and since the dead cannot be with the living, will seek to kill that child."

Zuko nodded once. Whatever had happened to his mother, last night was no proof that it had been a fatal. And speaking of fatal -

"Now that's explained, would you tell me what the hell is going on with you two?" he asked Yue and Aang.

Yue pressed her lips together firmly. "Some information has come to light that could help the rebellion greatly. But Aang … is being stubborn about the best course of action. Not that I need his permission."

"Huu says you do," said Aang. "And I'm saying no."

"Strange roads are best walked with one who knows the way," Huu said.

"Exactly," Aang said with a nod. "So we're going to figure something else out."

"Figure what out?" demanded Zuko.

"It is likely I possess the last remnant of the Moon Spirit's power," said Yue bluntly. "We hope to use the spiritual nexus of the swamp to allow Tui to return, righting the balance and bringing waterbending back to the world. As … a monk, Aang would ideally be able to help me transition to the Spirit World in order to complete my task."

Zuko blinked. If Yue was telling the truth, that would easily be the greatest blessing the world had been given since Zhao's greed had destroyed Tui ten years ago. "And Aang is against this because..."

"Because Yue will die!"

"We don't know that."

"Yes, we do. You said you only have the moon spirit because Tui let you live when you were a baby," argued Aang. "No spirit, no Yue."

"No moon, no rebellion," snapped back Yue. "No _balance_."

Yue had a very good point. The loss of the moon had been catastrophic. He'd been at sea when it had happened. A quarter of his men had been lost, and they'd barely made it back to shore. And that had only been the beginning.

"She's right," he said slowly. "However this works, it has to be tried. You're too young to remember how it started. We were beyond fortunate when you started sailing with me, Aang. If the moon stays gone any longer, I have no idea how much more damage will be done."

Aang scowled. "I don't care! Yue is our friend. We saved her. Which is why we're not going to let you just give up."

"This isn't about giving up. This is about the exact opposite. This is about the cause I've devoted my entire life to." Yue paused. "Some of us recognize that we can't keep running away from our responsibilities."

Aang flinched. "It's not running away. It's waiting until you're ready!"

"And I'm ready," said Yue. Her face was tense and her hands clenched into fists, but her voice didn't waver. "Are you ready to help me?"

Aang was about to respond when a messenger ran into the clearing. Zuko vaguely recognized that half-shaven head and topknot as one of the guards that brought them into the camp. "Princess Yue," the runner began. "Our scouts have spotted airships in the distance. The council has begun evacuating nonessential personnel, and wishes you to accompany them to the rendezvous point."

Zuko swallowed hard. It was too soon. Yue seemed equally distressed, but she tamped down her response. "Are those your only orders, Yahi?"

"Master Pakku told me that if you were prepared, to escort you to the great tree." Yahi frowned. "Do you know what he means, princess?"

Yue nodded. "And I'm as prepared as I can be. Let's do this before those monsters burn our home down around our ears."

"Princess?"

She ignored the confused messenger and turned to Aang. "Will you help me?"

The kid bit his lip. "I don't know if I can."

Huu reached out and rested a hand on Aang's shoulder. The kid took a deep breath and nodded. "I'll try."

"I'll join you," said Zuko, getting to his feet. Was it his imagination, or could he already hear the bombs falling from the sky?

Yue shook her head. "Wherever we're going, I doubt you can follow. If you can assist in the defense, that would be much more reassuring." She quirked her lips at Huu. "If we succeed, I'm certain you will be able to help."

Yahi shifted his weight uneasily. "Princess, we need to move."

She nodded. Before they left, Zuko called out to her. He had no idea what to say. She could be walking into her death. Or nothing at all. Or something else he couldn't even conceive. "Um," he began. "Good luck. And … my uncle always tells me that even if the road we walk is hard, if the destination gives us peace, then it was a path well-traveled." He struggled to remember a phrase he'd heard Water Tribesmen in the wharves say. "Safe journey, Princess Yue. May the currents guide you home."

She smiled at him sadly. "Ours is the duty, ours is the honor," she quoted - the words of the first Fire Lord. "Thank you for helping us, Prince Zuko."

And then they were off.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Yue followed Yahi to the center of the swamp, Aang at her heels. Earlier in the day Huu had done his best to explain what they would do, and she ran through his instructions as they hurried. It largely boiled down to meditating while in the embrace of the spiritual nexus of the great tree. If she truly possessed the Moon Spirit, that would probably be enough for her to crossover and complete her ascension or death or whatever the process would be, but Huu agreed that having the Avatar along would be a wise decision. Huu had a deep connection to the Spirit World, but that was limited to the swamp. As the Avatar, Aang's influence would spread throughout the Spirit World, guiding her to where she belonged. She hoped.

The bombardment began as they marched along. It was still some distance away, but the smoke that blew their way was from no cooking fire. Yue struggled to ignore the acrid taste at the back of her throat. Yahi kept glancing furtively up at the sky, but the growing darkness and canopy of trees hid any ships from sight. "The swamp will protect us," he said softly.

"It won't. It can't."

Yue flicked her eyes towards Aang. He had been silent since they left Huu's clearing. She didn't know if that was good or bad.

"It's sick." Aang clambered over a jutting root, pulling Yue up behind him. "It wants to help, but it can't."

"Then we'll return the favor for all its service for all these years." Yue rested a hand against one moss slick tree limb. "It's the least we can do."

It was not much longer before they stood at the foot of the great tree, the ultimate source of every other banyan tree in the swamp. One way or another, Yue knew her fate would be decided here. She took a moment to order Yahi to keep watch, though she doubted there was much he could do. The Fire Nation would hardly risk ground troops when they could simply bomb them, and as rampant as the undead were, this of all places would be safe from them. She and Aang climbed up one of the great roots to rest against the trunk. Yue took a moment to make herself comfortable before looking after her companion – and guide.

"Are you ready?" she asked him.

Aang looked out over the swamp. It would have been a peaceful scene that he saw, too, were it not for the wafts of smoke and rumbling crashes that tumbled through the air. "We don't have a choice any more, do we?"

"No." Yue paused. "That wasn't stopping you earlier."

Aang grabbed her hands, holding them tight. His palms were slicker with more sweat than mere humidity could provide. "I just … I'm not ready to lose you too. Everyone else is gone, and Appa's missing, and now there's only you and Zuko and Iroh and that's not enough."

Yue squeezed his hands. "You'll still have them and you'll find Appa, I know you will. And if I do this, you'll be all the more able to keep them safe."

"I know." His eyes dropped down, away from hers.

She let go of his right hand and tilted that his face back to hers. Before they did this, he needed to understand. "Did you know I'd been in love once?"

Aang shook his head, puzzled by the non-sequitur.

"His name was Sokka." Yue said. "He was the ghost hunter I told you about, the one who saved me from drowning. I'd just begun my work on the rebellion, building contacts and encouraging resistance. We traveled together, Sokka, his sister, and I. Their father had gone off to fight in the days before the comet and they were searching for him, all the while helping people as the undead grew worse. He taught me the boomerang, and in return I tried to convince him to join the rebellion, to take part in the battle. But he considered his mission too important, and asked me to join him instead. We each had our own duties and so we parted. I often wish I had stayed. He was the best thing that ever happened to me. But I gave him up, and now I have to give up so much more."

"That can't be a bad thing, loving someone like that," said Aang.

"That's not what I'm saying," she said tiredly. "Love is never a bad thing. But Aang, if I had stayed with him, when I could have done this, could have righted the imbalance that plagues all our lives … how could I be so selfish? My brief personal happiness is nothing compared to what I could achieve. What we will achieve."

Aang looked down and sighed. He seemed just as tired as she felt. "I know." He took a deep breath and Yue sqeezed his hand once more. "Let's do this."

He took another breath, and Yue breathed with him. She shut down her senses. There was no smoke. No explosions. Nothing that she needed to think about. Just her breath. There was only her and the tree whose mossy bark prickled against her back. Everything else was empty noise.

And then it was silence. She opened her eyes.

The Spirit World was not what Yue had expected. She thought it would be a formless thing – full of light and stars, like the ribbon that crossed the night sky. Instead, the place where she found herself was much like the swamp. The air lost the heavy smoke of the world she had left, but what had replaced it was not normal, either. Strange golden light filtered through the trees and reflected off leaves and water at odd angles. She'd gone from a world on fire to a world at peace – but it was an uneasy peace. Trees were twisted and broken in some corners, and there were shadowed places too dark for the gold light to touch. Yue didn't know if she was safer here, or in even greater danger.

"We made it!" said Aang beside her. Yue turned to her companion and blinked at his changed appearance. Gone were the cap and dark hair – his head was bare and cleanly shaven, revealing the blue arrow tattoos that marked him an airbending master. His clothing, too, was now the traditional saffron of the Air Nomads. She looked down at herself and realized she'd changed as well – for the first time in a long time, she wore the robes of a Northern Water Tribe Princes. It felt good to be dressed properly once again. Her hands dropped down to her side and she realized that was not quite accurate. Her boomerang was sheathed at her side, something that would have been downright forbidden ten years ago.

Had she ascended? Yue didn't feel ascended. She felt like herself, not like the spiritual aspect of the moon.

"What happens next?" she asked.

Aang shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe we can find someone to ask?"

Yue looked around. They were alone, as far as the eye could see. "Hello?" she called out tentatively. Nothing called back in response.

Aang grabbed her hand. "Let's try this way!" he tugged her along, heading in a direction that seemed entirely at random. Yue stumbled after him. They needed to hurry. She had no idea how long her people could survive without help.

* * *

Azula watched the bombardment from the safety of the _Flaming Fist'_s observation deck. Bombings were a far more sensible way to do things, but Azula had to admit a dislike for the impersonal nature of this business. Despite the dangers of a closer encounter, nothing could compare with the satisfaction of burning one's opponent to a crisp. But she couldn't deny that actually it was quite a pretty sight. Flashes of color blossomed beneath her as the fleet unloaded its cargo on the rebels.

At the other end of the room, she saw Zhao lean over and whisper something in the navigator's ear. Whenever he saw fit to speak outside her hearing in her presence, she considered it important. Was he offering praise for a job well done, or something else? She despised being on a ship of those more loyal to Zhao than herself. She was their Fire Lord, not him.

She pointed her spyglass at the ground, the better to see what was happening. The magnified images of trees burning and animals running for their lives were mildly entertaining. But something caught her eye. It was far away from where the fleet was currently striking, and yet there was a pulsing glow, the wrong color for a rogue fire. She adjusted the lens, focusing on the image. Interesting. She snapped the device shut and hooked it to her belt.

"Navigator!" she commanded. "Take us closer to that southwest spot. Something's going on there and I want a better look."

The navigator, not turning from her station, nodded sharply and began to maneuver the _Flaming Fist_ away from the rest of the fleet.

"Are you certain?" asked Zhao, his tone dangerously insubordinate. "Our information has the rebels at our feet. A few more rounds and they'll be pulverized."

Azula hissed. She marched towards Zhao, tapping her staff with each step. "Obey your Fire Lord. The rebels are up to something and I want to see what."

Most likely it was one rebel in particular, but she saw no reason to share that information with the admiral.

"What can they possibly be doing that concerns us?" said Zhao. "They have no flight capacity, and I doubt their pathetic little mud dolls are going to cause much more trouble."

"They could have rockets," she said, "or catapults."

"Or Avatars?"

Azula didn't answer, though she internally cursed the man's eye for intrigue, keeping her face calm as she replied. "If you want the entire fleet headlong into a trap, you may do it on your own time, Admiral Zhao. However, as long as I am here, we _will_ know exactly what it is we are fighting." She fixed her gaze on the navigator, who at least had the good sense to know who her true ruler was. The woman continued to guide the ship according to Azula's orders.

"Fine," Zhao said as though he had a choice in the matter. He motioned to a soldier standing at attention. "You there. Go tell the bombers to hold off until we reach our new destination. We can finish off whatever is troubling the Fire Lord in one quick burst."

"Belay that. When I said a closer look, I meant a closer look." Azula twirled the staff with her fingers. "I'm going down myself. Try to restrain yourself in the meantime."

* * *

The last time Zuko had seen anything like this had been the day of the comet. He recoiled from the memory of that horrific day, but the similarities were too strong. Columns of smoke billowed into the air and made every breath taste like ashes. Buildings and trees were on fire. He passed the last line of evacuees, dragging children and possessions along as they headed for the shallow waters in the hopes of some safety. The earthbenders were doing their best, but they were fighting against gravity as well as the airships. There were nowhere near enough of them to successfully hold off a fleet of this size, much less defeat them. Some of the non-bender soldiers aimed their bows to the sky, shooting futile arrows up at their attackers. But the ships were too high, and the arrows only plummeted back down to earth.

That was the worst part. The absolute futility. There was no good way to defend against a fleet of airships. Zuko swallowed thickly, mind racing back to the past. On that day, how long had he fought? He and his uncle had taken refuge in an Earth Kingdom village that had been in the direct path of his father's fleet. There'd been a family there, a couple with a young boy who'd opened their home to a pair of lost travelers. Zuko had struggled to repay that hospitality, to use the power the comet granted him. But even two powerful firebenders could barely make a dent in a fleet filled with comet-drunk benders. For every airship they'd taken down, twenty more took their place. In the end, all he had gotten was the official designation of "traitor" instead of merely exile and the hatred of the people from whom the Fire Nation had at last taken everything.

But that hadn't stopped them from trying. Zuko blinked as that memory came to life for him again, as he watched a series of fireballs streak into the sky from the ground. None of them came close to hitting the airships. But Iroh was never one for exercises in futility. With pinpoint accuracy, each fireball struck a falling bomb, detonating it in the air.

His uncle, as always, showed him the way. Zuko rushed forwards to stand by those soldiers. He ignored their shouts and focused only on bending, drawing his hands through the air to summon enough power to even have a chance. An airship hovered above them and dropped its cargo. He watched it fall, waiting for just the right moment.

The bomb cluster streaked down. And down. Zuko didn't release the energy. The timing had to be just right. Around him, people realized what was falling their way and started running. Someone reached forward and pulled at his arm. Zuko ignored them and concentrated on his aim. There! He swung up and shot both hands forward, pushing the fireball into the sky. The bomb cluster exploded above them, sending shrapnel and bits of flaming material flying. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than allowing the bombs to connect. Zuko smiled a second before he realized that one of the bombs hadn't detonated, and was spiraling out of the sky towards the camp.. He cursed and sent off another fire ball, but miscalculated the bomb's wild trajectory.

"Look out!"

The ground rumbled beneath his feet, sending Zuko flying off to one side. Zuko rolled with the movement and saw the bomb disappear into a hole where he had been standing. The earth had barely closed over it when it exploded, sending hot mud flying everywhere and knocking him off his feet.

An earthbender hurried forward to help him up. Zuko grasped the man's hand and staggered to his feet. There was a faint ringing in his ears.

"Good idea, but I think it needs some work," said the man. Zuko blinked a moment, recognizing him. It was Haru, the man who had helped Aang earlier. After making sure Zuko was able to stand, Haru straightened up and adopted a bending stance. He gestured towards the mud. "I wonder if this will work better?"

At the earthbender's command, a thick wave of mud rose from the earth. It arched high above the pair and whipped above them towards a falling bomb. Haru lashed out with one hand and the bomb altered its trajectory, but only slightly.

But then another whip of earth slung through the sky and batted the object away. It traveled a short distance before exploding. The earth whip retracted and Zuko followed the motion. And gaped. An enormous creature was slowly growing above the camp. It had the rough shape of a person, if humanity came in giant-sized form. At least two arms protruded from its shifting mass, each which lashed out at the fleet, straining higher and higher to make contact. But the airships floated too far away.

Was this a manifestation of the swamp? The Avatar? What was going on? Zuko turned towards his companion for answers.

Haru looked just as amazed. "I can't believe he did it," the man kept saying. "He's actually doing it."

"Doing what?" demanded Zuko. Realizing they were sitting targets, he prodded Haru to move. "And who?"

"Bao." Haru, now equally wise to the situation, followed on quick feet. He bent a shield around them when a tree began to tumble down. "It's a something he learned from the swampbenders – they used to create giant creatures out of the plants and vines. Bao thought he could do the same with earth and mud.. There's probably support at the ground, feeding earth into it."

Zuko stole a glance over his shoulder. The mud creature was growing even faster now, stretching itself thin to achieve greater and greater heights. The arms – multiple ones now, less arms than tentacles – whipped outwards, aimed at the airships that were closer by the minute, and flicking more bombs away from the fort. Yue had said Bao was powerful, but this was beyond impressive. That thing might actually have a chance to do some damage.

Unfortunately, the Fire Nation ships realized the same thing. The few ships that were within Bao's reach were gaining altitude, rising above the potential threat's grasp. The tentacles contracted, returning to the main body. And then they released, as a single whip ripped through the air and struck the lowest flying ship on the side, sending it spinning. The whip came around for a second time, this time aiming for the propellers. Zuko strained his eyes to see the result. It certainly was enough. The damaged ship began a downward spiral.

A ragged cheer went up from those still standing. Whatever happened, at least they would know the enemy had bled, too.

The victory didn't last long. Now that there was a legitimate threat, the remaining Fire Nation ships began to converge on Bao's creation. He sent it twisting through the air, dodging the answering flurry of fireballs. A tentacle lashed out and managed to slice through the skin of another airship, sending it plummeting to the ground. Another barrage of fireballs and bombs followed. This time, the tentacle that stretched up towards the largest airship, the _Flying Fist _no doubt, was severed, the mud falling away.

The constant onslaught of intense heat had taken its course on the golem as cracks appeared, the mud baking into clay. A stray bomb sent shattered fragments flying. Bao contracted once more. He took advantage of the remaining clay portion of the shoulder to send the shards flying into an airship, all the better to puncture the envelope's skin. A breath later, he drew the mud in to create a single long whip, sacrificing much of his cover to do so. As the whip reared back and shot forwards, aiming once again at the _Flying Fist_, one of the airships scored a direct hit on golem.

The top half disintegrated into mud and clay and dust; Zuko hoped that Bao's death had been instantaneous. The creature fell back down to the earth, the crushing weight of its collapse allayed only by the benders below. But no other golem rose in its place.

* * *

Azula streaked down through the canopy, feeling the branches whip past her as she glided down to the ground. The airbender's staff was proving to be a most useful item, offering more control than the crude parachutes her father's engineers toyed with for the fleet, even if she couldn't manipulate the winds.

Still, its steering wasn't perfect, and despite her best efforts she landed some distance from her target. She collapsed the glider and sprinted towards the source of the light she'd seen from above.

Zhao's orders were to concentrate the bombing away from her location on the ground. It would be _interesting_ to see if he obeyed. Ash and mud were kicked up and marred her armor while she ran. The conditions in which the rebels lived truly disgusted her. When she returned to the ship, the armorer had better clean her equipment so no trace of this muck remained.

The sound of several explosions echoed through the air. Azula paused a moment to look up at the sky. And took a moment to smirk. One of those "mud dolls" Zhao had so scoffed at was indeed causing trouble. She watched idly a moment to see if the rebels would be able to damage the _Flying Fist_, but it appeared that the fleet was able to respond in time. That was for the best. She'd rather have the chance to kill Zhao herself. Satisfied, she continued her run.

Incidents like that reminded her you could never trust the rebels to do the sensible thing and die. It was all the more imperative to stop whatever it was they were planning. Especially if it involved the Avatar.

* * *

With the death of Bao and his golem, the battle was almost over. Most of the forces on the ground were far more focused on organizing a retreat and escaping the burning camp. Whatever they had hoped to accomplish with Yue was not going to happen in time. Zuko was preparing to run and retrieve her and Aang, waiting for the signal to fall back, when a scream ripped through the air.

"LIANG!"

A girl emerged from the smoke, covered in mud and soot. She staggered a moment, then ran towards one of the burning buildings, still screaming for Liang. Zuko squinted at her and recognized her – it was Ushi, Bao's daughter. He hurried towards her and grabbed her, stopping her from her hysterical headlong rush into the flames. She kicked him in the shins for his troubles. Zuko grunted, but didn't let go.

"Calm down! Who are you looking for?"

Ushi stared into the flames, panting. Zuko repeated himself again. She shook herself and refocused her eyes on Zuko. "My brother! I can't find my brother. I left him when he went down for his nap and I went to play with the other kids and then the fire came and where is MY BROTHER?"

"I'm sure someone got him," Zuko said, tugging her away from the burning huts. "Let's get you out of here."

Ushi shook her head. "No, I need to find Liang!"

Zuko growled. After witnessing what her father had accomplished, the least he could do was ensure the safety of this child. Who knew if her brother was even still alive? He bent down to pick her up and remove her bodily from the scene, when she abruptly twisted in his arms and bolted, disappearing into the smoke.

He took off after her, zigzagging as an engulfed house collapsed on itself, sending timbers flying. Ushi had skidded to a halt in front of a small hut that had only begun to burn. She was scrambling towards the entrance, despite the fact that the ladder had been knocked away. The girl tried to climb one of the house's support stilts, but kept slipping down. Ushi continued shouting for her brother with every attempt.

Zuko pulled her away from the hut, ignoring her kicks and screams.

"No!" Ushi cried. "Liang!"

"We have to go!" Zuko told her. He was ready this time for her tricks and tightened his grip in response to her struggles. "It's not safe."

"But he's in there," Ushi pleaded. "Listen!"

As Zuko hoisted her up onto his shoulder, he tuned his ears into his surroundings. Amidst the chaos, he could make out the wails of a young child. Ushi's fist tugged at his hair. "I can hear him! He needs me."

He eyed the hut. There wasn't much time. Zuko dropped his charge onto the ground and snapped out a quick command to stay put before he took off running towards the burning hut. At the right moment, he jumped and made contact with the small porch, swinging himself up onto the hut's level. Zuko didn't even take a moment to catch his breath before kicking down the door.

"Liang?" he called out, searching the room. A piece of the roof collapsed, forcing him back. He shouted again for Liang. This time a child cried out in return. He jumped over the growing hole in the floor and headed to the back of the hut. Screens hung from the ceiling, partitioning off a portion of the room. He shoved their charred remains aside to find a young boy, no more than two or three, crouched in the corner with his hands covered over his ears. When Zuko knelt in front of him, the boy shrank away and cried harder. Behind him, he could hear the renewed crackle of flames.

He didn't have time for this. He quickly scooped the kid up in one arm and blew a hole through the wall with the other. The kid shrieked and squirmed in his arms, but he was already running towards the new exit. He hit the ground with a roll, shielding the kid from the impact. The hut shuddered, the stilts finally on fire. Zuko reached the front in time to drag Ushi away with his spare hand while the hut collapsed on itself.

"Liang!" she said, reaching out for her brother. Zuko dropped the still crying child into her arms, who immediately attached himself to his sister like a limpet. "Thank you, mister."

"Yeah, great." Zuko pulled her along, guiding Ushi and her brother away from the worst of the fire. The rebel camp was doomed, but inside him, there was a little spark of joy that both children were still alive. He just had to keep it that way.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Despite the fact that Aang's determined march kept them in the wake of the golden wash of light, Yue couldn't help but feel the creep of those twisted shadows. There were a few times she was forced to skirt their edges and just standing close to the darkness chilled her to the bone. And the whispers! She saw no other beings but Aang, and yet she was convinced there was something else out there. Watching them, following them.

"Hello!" Aang shouted once more, as he did every few yards. Nothing answered back. But Yue could swear the whispers in the trees grew louder. No, not whispers. More like giggles. Whatever was out there was laughing at them.

She dropped her hand to her side and groped for her boomerang. For a moment she felt empty air until her fingertips closed on the cool ivory. She drew her weapon and prepared for battle. "Show yourself!" she commanded.

The mocking laughter continued.

Yue narrowed her eyes and concentrated on locating the source of the sound. Aang tensed beside her, eyes darting every which way.

"Show myself?" called a voice, high-pitched like a child's. The voice seemed to be coming from the tallest tree. Yue adjusted her aim. "Why - " she sent the weapon careening towards the source - "should I -" only now the voice came from the willow tree behind her - "do that?" She caught the rebounding boomerang and spun, trying to track the speaker. "You want to hurt me," accused the voice with childish petulance from the vine-covered banyan.

Aang reached up and rested his hand on Yue's left, urging her to lower the weapon. "We're sorry," he called out. "My friend is just a little tense. I promise, we don't want to hurt you."

Yue had to disagree on that point. As far as she was concerned, their stalker was the one who had to do the convincing. She didn't respond to Aang's increased pressure, but shifted farther into a battle ready position.

"This is the first person we've met," whispered Aang. "We can't scare him off."

The Avatar had a point. She lowered the boomerang, but didn't return it to its sheath. Aang frowned and nodded meaningfully at her sheath. She glared at him in turn and his shoulders slumped, reluctantly accepting that was as far as she was willing to go. "See?" he called out. "No harm meant." There was no response. "I'm sorry if we frightened you." He bowed and nudged her to do the same. "My name is Aang and my friend here is Yue. We've come to the Spirit World for help."

"Why do you need help? You're the ones who broke it. Broke it broke it broke it," mocked the speaker. He dropped down from his hiding place in the gnarled banyan, a monkey with an incredibly long tail. The creature hooked the tail around a branch and started swinging upside down in the nonexistent breeze. "I know you, Avatar Roku. You don't need my help."

"I'm not Roku. My name is Aang."

"But you're still the Avatar!" shouted the monkey triumphantly. "The balance is your job." He started swinging faster and faster. "And now it's gone all wibbley wobbly whoops!" With the last word, the monkey dropped down onto the branch beneath him. He paced back and forth, the tail lashing about. "Everybody's gone or run away. There's no one left to play – and it's all your fault!"

Aang swallowed hard and fell back. Yue glared at the monkey spirit. "It is not! If you want to blame anyone, blame the Fire Nation."

The monkey swung from tree to tree until he could drop down in front of her face. Yue met the upside down eyes of the creature without flinching. "Who're you?" he demanded.

She stiffened her spine and answered, "I am Princess Yue, the next Moon Spirit."

The monkey laughed and released his grip on the branch above them. Yue cried out as her used her head as a springboard to launch himself to another tree. "Moon Spirit? You? If you're the moon, I'm the ocean." He waggled his tail lewdly. "Wanna dance?"

Yue glared at the creature and resisted the urge to renew her attack. She was a diplomat as well as a warrior. She could show a little restraint.

"She's not the Moon Spirit yet," Aang explained. "That's why we need help."

The monkey continued playing with the willow fronds. "So?"

"So she needs to discover how to become the Moon Spirit," said Aang.

"Why?"

Yue pivoted to meet the monkey straight on. "You said it yourself. The balance is upset. Restoring the moon will help correct that."

"Ah-ah," sing-songed the creature. "There's more. Tell me tell me, tell me true."

"I'm a princess of the Water Tribe. My people are under attack and without the power the moon gives them, they'll die. And if they go, there will be no one left to fight the Fire Nation."

"Then why don't you do it? Up up and away, to the moon you go."

"Because I don't know how!" Yue shouted.

The monkey laughed. "You don't know, you don't know, why don't you know?"

"C'mon Aang," snapped Yue. She pulled him along despite his protests. "Let's go. There has to be someone who can help."

"That won't work!" shouted the monkey.

"It's better than staying here," she answered without turning around.

More of that infernal laughter followed her. "You can't be where you need to be until you want to be there!"

Yue stopped short when the creature appeared in front of her again. The monkey said, "I told you, this was all your fault." With that, he scampered back into the trees and vanished. Yue hissed and kept walking, Aang in tow. She didn't have time for this.

* * *

Under Zuko's guidance, the three made it to the outskirts of the camp. The bombs had largely stopped falling after sunset, but airships still lurked in the sky. Refugees were split into several different groups as they retreated, heading to some chosen rendezvous point. The swamp might kill them, but that was a fate they were willing to risk in the face of the one that hovered above them. Zuko chose one such group at random and peered into the crowd, looking for his uncle.

Ushi adjusted the weight of her brother on her back and turned hopefully towards her companion. "What is it? Do you see my father?"

Zuko's stomach turned at the reminder. Somehow she had missed Bao's death. There would be time enough later to give her that news. Until then, he'd let her believe otherwise. When she asked again, he managed a short and sharp, "No. I don't see him."

How many had the rebels lost? That there were this many still walking at all shocked him. He even saw signs of the wounded, limping along with the support of their comrades, or being carried on stretchers. The dead, of course, would be left to burn. In the days before the comet, that would have troubled those of Earth and Water as profane, but fire remained the greatest guarantee against the restless dead rising. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as much as the ash did. Was his uncle lying back there? Iroh had been near to where Bao fought his last stand. He tightened his grip on Ushi's hand as they stumbled along with the retreat.

He'd expected the flight into the swamp to be a disorganized and chaotic mess, but the rebels surprised him. A select few hung back and offered a degree of direction, guiding the refugees along a set path – one that they'd likely selected beforehand in case of the worst. Soldiers patrolled along the edges, ready to fight the dangers that remained on the ground. The Fire Nation wasn't the only menace. At least the screams of the bloodcurdle bird were absent. Undoubtedly the creatures had flown to a safer part of the swamp.

"Daddy?"

Zuko looked up at the figure approaching his little band. There was no way Bao could have survived that hit. And indeed, the man bore no resemblance to him except for the wishes of a hopeful daughter. But he was someone Zuko knew. "Haru!" he shouted, letting go of Ushi's hand to reach out and clasp the fellow survivor.

Haru offered a weary smile in response. His mustache was now droopy and bedraggled, nothing like the polished appearance he'd sported earlier. Ushi ran forward and latched onto his waist. In the absence of her father, she was willing to accept substitutes. Haru patted her on the head and with a deft gesture scooped Liang up into his arms. The boy buried his face into Haru's matted hair.

Zuko studied the other man. Haru was battered and bloodied, but still standing. "What's the news?" he asked, matching steps as they continued the march forward.

Haru sighed and shifted Liang onto his shoulder. "Not good. After," he flicked his eyes down at Ushi, who struggled to walk without letting go, "after the golem fell, the order was given to retreat. Whatever weapon the council was hoping Yue would produce didn't come forward in time."

Zuko nodded and asked Haru, "Have you seen my uncle?"

"General Iroh? The healers have him. Not that they can do much." Realizing how that sounded, Haru qualified his statement. "I wouldn't be too worried. He's fit to walk, last I heard." Zuko let out a sigh of relief. Haru added, "Rumor has it, he's the one who got Mei Ling to declare a retreat. Now that's a conversation I'd have liked to hear."

Zuko waved away the story of his uncle's exploits. "The healers?" he prompted.

Haru understood. "Up ahead. You managed to pick the right route to catch up with him."

"You'll keep an eye on them?" he asked, gestured towards the kids. Haru had barely finished nodding before Zuko started running. He sprinted past the straggling lines of rebels until he could make out the unmistakable silhouette of his uncle. His uncle was leaning on a woman even older than him, but Zuko knew Iroh anywhere.

"Uncle!" he cried out, hurrying to his side. Iroh's entire left shoulder was covered in a crude bandage. He reached out and offered his support. "Uncle, let me help you."

Iroh turned towards him. "Zuko? What are you doing here? You need to find Azula. She's here, I saw her."

"He keeps saying that," said the woman. She shook her head with disapproval, graying hair loops swaying back and forth. "I'd say he's delirious, but we haven't had any medicine to give him and he hasn't lost enough blood for that."

"I am not delirious, Kanna," Iroh said sharply. "Tired and in pain. But not delirious. Someone came down from the fleet, and there is every reason to believe it was the Fire Lord. She was headed towards the great tree."

The great tree. Why was that important? Great tree, great tree …

"Aang!" Zuko let go of his uncle's arm. "Haven't they come back yet?"

"No. And if Azula finds them – "

It would be a disaster. There was no way Aang could stand against Azula. For the second time in the space of a day, Zuko ran off and left a conversation unfinished. Nothing more needed to be said. His uncle's shout of "Be careful!" echoed in his ears as he raced to the center of the swamp.

* * *

Azula cleared the final log up the incline that lead to her target, lips curling into a smile. Earlier she had bemoaned the lack of the personal touch, and now she had the opportunity for a more hands on approach. And what a treat greeted her on her arrival! The Avatar was resting in the bole of that enormous tree, an intense light emanating from him. The boy was vulnerable, hers to capture and kill as she pleased. And he was not alone. Lying not far from him was the rebel bitch whose escape started this whole mess. That erstwhile princess was equally unconscious. The only thing missing from this tableau was the body of her brother.

There was a slight inconvenience, in that the rebels hadn't left such valuable prey wholly unguarded. But the soldier who had started at her entrance was beyond pathetic. She dropped the glider and dodged the arrows he'd loosed in quick sequence with ease, taking cover by yet another ubiquitous root. When the earth didn't start bucking beneath her feet, or fire soar from overhead (unlikely, but her brother wasn't the only traitor to the Fire Nation), Azula sprang to her feet, a ball of fire at the ready. The soldier realized his danger and began to duck, but it was too late. He screamed when the flames made contact. He made a valiant effort and tried to charge her, but that just made it easier to pour on the fire. She stepped over his charred corpse a minute later, ready to get on to business.

She eyed her targets with consideration. Azula debated just frying them then and there, but found herself drawing her knife instead. She wasn't in the habit of missing – her lip curled at the memory of her last fight with that miserable rebel princess – but there was no sense in giving the swamp a chance to react. There had been no retaliation for the soldier's death, but then he wasn't the one presumably bonding with the spirits. Wild things were the most unpredictable, after all. Which is why they had to be broken or destroyed.

She strode towards the pair, blade at the ready. First the woman's throat, and then she'd decide on the value of a dead Avatar. Killing him in the Avatar State would be unwise, but letting him go was out of the question. She prepared for the kill, grasping Yue's head by those ridiculous braids she sported to bare the throat. All she needed was a clean strike.

A burst of flame slammed into her knife, forcing her to drop it. So much for avoiding interruptions. She released the body and turned to meet her attacker. And smiled. Today really was her lucky day. There stood Zuzu. Conscious, unfortunately, but she would soon remedy that. Before he could start a no doubt fascinating speech, she attacked. She wouldn't want her victory to be too easy, did she?

* * *

Zuko's lungs were burning when he reached the giant banyan tree under which he knew Yue lay. Was he too late? He stifled a curse when he tripped, the body of Yahi crumbling at his feet. Azula was here. But who else had she killed? The whole clearing was bathed in an uncanny blue glow, emanating from the other side of the tree. But all he could see was up on the ridge of a massive trunk root where Azula crouched over Yue, a knife in her hand. Aang was nowhere in sight. He pushed that thought away and focused on Azula. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a jet of flame straight at her raised hand.

She dropped the blade and snarled. Zuko rolled to his left, dodging the ribbons of flame that snapped towards his face. Heat rushed along his right side. If he had been a hair slower, this fight would have been over before it had begun. He rose to a crouch and launched himself at Azula, zigzagging to avoid her attacks.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," she taunted, easily sidestepping his flurry of fireballs. "Today is my lucky day."

"Glad I didn't disappoint," snapped Zuko, continuing his race up the incline. Azula's assault forced him to dodge, making it all the harder to see where Azula was, where her other targets were. She'd been standing practically on top of Yue, but he still had seen no signs of the kid. "What did you do with Aang?" he demanded when he reached the ridge.

"Aang?" she asked before sending a series of flame daggers his way. "Who the hell is Aang?"

"The boy," Zuko gritted out, evading the flying knives.

"Oh. Him." She rolled her eyes. "Nothing. Do you honestly believe I would harm a hair on the Avatar's head? We both know how much Father would appreciate his capture."

Zuko skidded to a halt, inches before the fireball that exploded in the space he had been about to occupy. "What do you mean, the Avatar?"

"Don't play stupid with me," said Azula. "The brat you brought with you for your foray into treason. I'd make a speech here about helping me take him in to regain your honor or something, but we both know that ship has sailed. So really, all that's left is for me to kill you, then the upstart princess, and bring the Avatar in myself."

Zuko feinted to the right, then vaulted over an enormous root, cracking a whip of fire at Azula. She dodged it easily, but now at least he was between her and his friends. What did she mean, Aang was the Avatar? That was ridiculous. Aang was just another orphaned firebender – who was lying against the tree, as unconscious as Yue. Except Yue wasn't glowing like that.

Azula read his expression and started laughing. "You didn't know? Oh, that is just too good. How long did you spend looking for him? Two years? Three?" She stopped laughing and wiped a tear from her eye. "At least you'll die knowing you weren't a total failure. You found the Avatar, after all." And then she attacked once more.

* * *

Unfortunately, their encounter with the monkey spirit didn't herald any other meeting with a more helpful denizen of the Spirit World. If possible, the situation was even worse. Yue was willing to swear that they were walking in circles. She no longer worried about the demented geography of this place, however. All that mattered was either completing her transformation to the Moon Spirit, or getting out of this place so she could return to her people and at least help them as a mortal woman. Assuming she had a body to return to. For all she knew, it was too late.

What had that creature said? Something about not getting where you need to be unless you wanted it. Which made no sense. If that was all it took, wouldn't she be the Moon Spirit by now? She wanted it. Wanted to add another weapon to her people's arsenal, wanted this to be over.

Yue flashed on the vision of Tui she'd had before. Why couldn't the blasted fish appear to her now, now that she was so completely lost?

"This is the fifth time we've passed that tree," she announced, glaring at the forked banyan she'd been seeing far too often.

"No it's not," Aang argued. "See? You're thinking of the one that has the extra long branch on the left. This one is on the right."

"That's because we're standing on the opposite side. It's the same tree, it's the same clearing, and we're going nowhere." Yue kicked at the ground. The moss divot she made faded in moments, the ground healing itself over. She cursed in frustration. "If I didn't think it would make things worse, I'd almost wish for that blasted monkey to come back here."

Aang frowned. "Did you really believe what it was saying? About this being my fault?"

"For the last time Aang, this is not your fault. Blame Ozai and Azula and Zhao if you want to blame anyone, but we can't pin this on you. You were asleep when the worst happened." Yue collapsed onto the ground. "Maybe it was my fault. Maybe the only time I could have become the Moon Spirit was right after Tui died and now there's nothing left for me to do. We might as well figure out how to go back to the mortal world and start working there, because here isn't doing any good."

"I guess." Aang fiddled with his robes a moment. "After all, I'm still an airbender. I bet I can make sure all those airships don't come anywhere near the camp."

"It's a better plan than chasing our tails here." She stood up. "The only question is, which way is out?"

"I don't know. Maybe we need to think 'out' really loudly?"

"You mean we leave if we want it bad enough?" Yue paused, considering the words. Want it bad enough. Was that what the monkey meant? She looked down at the ground. "Maybe this really is all my fault."

"Huh?" Aang turned towards her.

"Maybe I don't want to be the Moon Spirit," she said in a quiet voice. "Not enough. I thought I did – I thought I was willing to make whatever sacrifice was necessary. I always have before. I lost my father, I gave up Sokka. I never left to seek a life outside the rebellion. Is it any wonder I've finally found my limits?"

"That doesn't mean it's your fault!" said Aang. "Becoming the Moon Spirit – that's a lot to ask of someone. I still can't believe Iroh and Huu and Pakku are telling you to do that. There's got to be another way to do this – maybe just being here is enough to take the spirit piece out of you. And now we can leave and go back home without anybody dying."

"Aang..."

"She will not die."

On hearing the new voice, Yue spun around seeking its source. This wasn't the cackle of the monkey spirit, but rather the wise and mature tones of a man. But there was no one she could see.

"If that is what you fear, put that worry to rest. A caterpillar does not die when it becomes a butterfly," continued the unseen speaker. "Disrupting the balance is the only thing here to be worried about."

The voice seemed to be coming from somewhere near Aang. But he was standing alone on the path, just at the edge of a pool of water. Yue walked closer, her confusion matched by Aang's. With nowhere left to look, she peered into the water, expecting to find some sort of spirit there – a salamander toad, perhaps. Instead she was greeting by her own reflection – but not Aang's. Where Aang's should have been shimmered the image of an old man with long white hair, dressed like a firebender from a century ago. She drew back in alarm to see one such as that there, fumbling for her boomerang.

"And what would that do, exactly?" asked the firebender, his shape rising out of the water to hover above it, though he remained translucent.

Yue didn't answer, but gripped her weapon all the more.

Aang stared at the new face, a flicker of recognition crossing his own. "I know you, don't I?" he said. He mulled over that thought for a moment. "Was I once … you?"

"Indeed," the firebender answered with a nod.

Yue glared at the apparition. "I take it you are the previous Avatar? Avatar … Ragu?"

"Roku," the man answered coolly. "And now that we've established my identity, I have this to say to my replacement: I am sorry for what happened before, but now my mess is your responsibility. And you must begin by accepting what must be done to right the balance. By yourself and everyone else."

"I'm trying!" protested Aang. He seemed to wilt beneath the stare of his previous incarnation.

"He is," affirmed Yue. "It's not as if we have a lot to go on. Unless you have some more practical advice to give?"

"You already know what to do," Roku said. "This immature would-be Avatar, however, is preventing you from doing it."

"But I thought – this is my fault. Aang has nothing to do with my inability to become the Moon Spirit."

"He had everything to do with it. You've said it yourself – you've always done your duty. You wish to do your duty right now, but there's something holding you back. He doesn't want you to leave, and with his poorly controlled power, he can arrange that."

"_He's_ right here!" shouted Aang.

"You ran away. You must stop running, and you must stop dragging others in your wake." Roku paused. "It was my failure to do my duty that allowed Sozin to begin what he did. Don't make the mistake I did Aang and let your feelings lead you astray."

Yue closed her eyes. "He's right, Aang," she said.

"No, he's not," he argued. Aang folded his arms and glared at his previous incarnation. "We need you. I need you."

"You do need me," Yue said gently. "You need me in the sky, with the moon alive and well. You told me so yourself, Aang. The world is sick and it needs to get better. Restoring the moon is the first step."

"But you'll be gone." In a small voice, Aang added, "Like everybody else."

Roku scowled. "Listen to yourself. There's more at stake here than your own personal - "

"You're not helping," said Yue. The spirit huffed and turned away. She reached out to touch Aang's cheek. "I won't be beside you anymore, but you won't be alone. Not anymore. You have Zuko, Iroh, and who knows how many other people you haven't even met yet. Somewhere out there's even your bison. And if I don't leave you, none of them will be safe."

Aang swallowed. "I know. That's the worst part. But it's not fair."

"No, it's not. But you can change that, Aang. Make it fair. Make it right. Go back there and fix things."

"As the Avatar?"

"As Aang," she said with firmness, embracing him. "We must both do what we have to do. I must do this on my own. Alone." She pressed her boomerang into his hands. "Keep this. You can give it to Sokka when you see him. I'd like him to have it."

She stepped away, the flood of realization surging over her. Her mistake had been spending this journey with Aang, when she should have accepted her fate on her own. She'd thought the Avatar would be able to show her the way- but really, it was the other way around. He would be fine without her. Already she could see him fading, returning to the mortal world. She ran off into the mist and felt the spark of Tui within her sing out, engulfing her and bringing her into a new world.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Aang was the Avatar. The Avatar, who was alive, was Aang. That thought kept running through Zuko's head. He parried a blow from Azula and felt the force of her attack down to his bones. It was so obvious.

_Aang's strange behavior. His aptitude with firebending without any prior training. _Zuko began his own offensive and bent a ribbon of flame that spiraled towards Azula. She blocked it, allowing him an opening to kick her in the side. _The bizarre winds that always accompanied an upset Aang_. Azula responded in time and avoided the worst of the blow, though she stumbled backwards on the hill. _His uncle had to have known. _Zuko tried to cross the distance to complete his attack, only to be forced back by the crackle of Azula's lightning. _His uncle had known, had no doubt known from the beginning, and Iroh still hadn't said a word._

Didn't anyone trust him?

"What's the matter, Zuzu?" taunted Azula. "You seem distracted. Have something more important to worry about than your impending death? Feeling sad the Avatar didn't tell you his big secret?"

"You're the one who should be worried," he snapped back, grabbing a handful of mud to fling into her eyes. She dodged it, but he was able to score a glancing blow with his following attack.

Why hadn't Iroh trusted him with Aang's identity? Why hadn't anyone? It wasn't as if he was going to hurt the kid. Hell, he was the one person everyone expected to take care of Aang.

As if in echo of his retort, a bomb whistled down from the sky and struck a nearby cluster of trees. The glow from the fire bathed the scene in a vicious orange light. It was followed shortly after by another bomb that exploded on impact, mere yards away from where the first had fallen. Zuko smirked. "I'm not the only one with 'untrustworthy' companions, am I?"

Azula tossed her head dismissively. She barely flinched when another strike came screaming down from above. "I was wondering how long it would take for Zhao to gather the courage to try this." She pulled a coil of flame from the burning trees that ringed the site and used it to augment her own power. "It doesn't count as betrayal if you're expecting it." The fire shot forward, an immense wave of pure flame. He spun his arms, creating a hole in the firewall to allow him to safely pass through. Azula dismissed the flames with a gesture. "That's just one more way I'm better than you."

Zuko rolled away to avoid a burning tree branch that crashed into the ground. He reached out one hand to pull the flames away, leaving the charred wood behind. He braced his arms as if he was feeding rope for a sail and redirected the fire towards Azula. Watching her be attacked by her own people did a lot for his perspective. His allies might hide things from him, but they weren't trying to kill him. He snarled and renewed his assault. Instead of the usual two fire whips, he conjured up six, and twisted them through the air. Azula retreated, unable to block or dodge that many. She crouched down and launched herself into the air, flipping over Zuko to land on the other side.

Where Yue and Aang lay.

"I'm going to finish this now," Azula told him. A burst of fire erupted from her left hand, headed straight towards the sleeping princess. A sick feeling washed over Zuko even as he redirected his whips to strike Yue's murderer.

But before the fireburst could hit, Yue faded away from sight. There was no special glow or no strange sound. Just a splash of fire hitting an empty hollow.

And the sudden brilliance of a full moon in the night sky.

* * *

Well, that was … inconvenient. It seemed at least part of the rebels' brilliant plan involved restoring the moon into the sky. Which Yue's sudden disappearance managed to accomplish. No matter. The return of power to the waterbenders would at least be accompanied by a slacking in the Ocean Spirit's wrath. It wasn't as if the Fire Nation Navy had been under any real threat before Zhao got all fish-killer happy. The bastard. Azula had known he'd try something when she left the _Flying Fist_, but this was so disappointing. So inefficient. What was he going to do when she survived?

The first thing to do was to steal Zhao's other targets, beginning with the Avatar. Azula had wanted to capture him, but given how aggravating Zuko was proving to be, killing the both of them was the most logical option. She'd figure out some way to make sure Father knew where credit was due. She'd finish off the boy after taking care of the idiot. Who was still gaping at the moon in the sky. It wasn't as if he'd never seen a moon before.

Azula palmed her spare knife and threw it at him. Unfortunately, his sense of self-preservation wasn't completely gone, as he stopped stargazing long enough to dodge. The blade pierced his shoulder, which was an acceptable substitute for the heart. Thrown knives were a dice roll, any way. She tossed a fireball towards his feet, knocking him down just in case. She wanted him to watch this part.

Trying the knife earlier had been a mistake. This needed to be taken care of the way only a true firebender could.

"And as for you," Azula murmured, looking down at the unconscious boy, "I promise to make it quick." She traced her fingers through the air, summoning the lightning. Behind her, she could hear Zuko's frantic shouts of alarm, but it was going to be too late. She took aim. All she had to do -

The boy's eyes snapped open, blazing with an unearthly blue light. One hand, similarly glowing, slashed through the air. She was blown backwards, her shot going wide, and just barely managed to clamber to her feet. Azula tried to complete her attack, but the Avatar merely jumped out of the way. Her lightning struck the tree, splitting the trunk. With a wave of his hand, the boy summoned a gust of wind that brought the discarded staff into his hand, glider wings opening at his touch. He glared down at her for a moment. Azula met his eyes without flinching. The Avatar was a power to be reckoned with, for certain, but she refused to cower in his presence. If a fight was what he wanted, she would deliver in kind. Their eyes remained locked a few breaths more, when the piercing whistle of falling bombs drew his attention away. Zhao always was one for overkill.

The Avatar turned from her and faced the sky, gripping his weapon with two hands choked close together, holding it parallel to the ground. Before the bombs even cleared the treetops, he swung the staff and sent an incredible wind shear slicing through the air to strike the bombs and send them spinning back towards their source. Within moments, Azula could make out the twin explosions that struck the underside of Zhao's ship.

Before she could take advantage of that exposed back, the Avatar soared into the sky with his glider, heading towards the remains of the fleet. Even in the darkness, she could tell the tides of the slaughter had turned. The _Flaming Fist_ was certainly living up to its name. And the rest of the fleet wasn't far behind.

Azula watched him go. So that was the Avatar in action. Life had grown so much more complicated. But this was only a setback. What could one boy, no matter how powerful, do against the might of an empire? Oh, this fleet was doomed. Especially once the waterbenders realized the return of their power. In the future, though, the rebels would not be so lucky. She'd make sure to report this change to Father and ensure better preparation. She made ready to disappear into the swamp and escape to fight again.

After killing Zuko, of course. At least the night wouldn't be a total loss.

She stalked towards where he lay. Her misbegotten brother was staggering to his feet, that annoying stubbornness of his in full force. He never made things easy for her. But of the two of them, he was the one with a knife in the shoulder. She started the process of a quick and dirty lightning strike. She was going to fry _somebody_ tonight.

"You will not harm him."

A translucent Yue appeared between her and Zuko. Azula rolled her eyes. What was this, Interrupt the Fire Lord Day? "I think I will," she said. No matter how fancily dressed Yue was, or what entity she claimed to represent, she was still just a ghost. Maybe lightning fried spirits, too.

"Yue," whispered Zuko. The reverence in his voice was disgusting. Just for that alone, Azula shot him. Only for her power to shimmer into nothingness upon striking the blasted rebel spirit.

"I said, you will not harm him," Yue repeated. Her white robes fluttered, but she showed no signs of pain from the attack. "He is under my protection."

Lovely. Azula studied her targets a moment and debated as to her chances. Weren't the spirits supposed to be above mortal concerns? The scrolls always said so. It had taken the first death of the moon for the Ocean Spirit to even give a damn about his worshipers. And that had been mostly revenge anyway. A long and bloody revenge. Now was not the time to fight, then. With a toss of her head, Azula backed away and ran off into the swamp. Yes, a better opportunity would appear.

* * *

Yue watched Azula go. Part of her wanted to follow, to reach forward and strike with all the power her new existence offered. Letting that woman live would cause nothing but disaster for her friends. But something held her back. Even manifesting here was difficult. There was so much more her world contained now. Everywhere her light was, she was.

She was in the clearing, hearing Zuko thank her for helping. Praising her for what she had done. She spared a brief smile for him and vanished. She didn't have much time left. Yue the mortal princess still lived, but she was preparing to make way for Yue the Moon Spirit. The balance had been righted, just a bit. She could feel the easing of a strain she hadn't even known the world was carrying.

She was by Master Pakku's side, watching him soar into the air, a waterspout swirling around his body as he unleashed a decade's worth of suppressed power at his enemies. He said her name and she blessed him in turn. He surged to greater heights, the fury of ice and snow brought to bear in the humid swamp.

She was shining down on the sea, where a lonely ship's captain turned her face up to the sky, the touch of moonlight reminding her of hopes she had thought long abandoned. The woman basked in that light for a moment in silence before calling out to her shipmates. They reacted to her revelation with equal happiness. One gave a shout of pure joy and started dancing, enticing a stoic woman who stood guard to join her in celebration.

Yue was inland, her light blanketing an earthbender as the girl emerged from a tunnel, a badger mole by her side. But the earthbender never tilted her face towards the moonlight. Instead she marched along with a heavy sack of food over her shoulder, walking without hesitation to a ramshackle clutch of huts.

She was trickling down through branches, sinking into the forests where a trio of creeping warriors stepped into her embrace. One long-faced man uttered a short cry of astonishment at the light now shimmering all around him, much to the dismay of his companions. But the Fire Nation merchant they encircled gave no sign he was in danger, but shouted out to them to come and join a fellow traveler in rejoicing at the moon's return.

And she was in the hills of the north, her light reflecting off an airship smaller than anything the Fire Nation would build, battered and at rest.

Not far away, Sokka was fighting a pack of undead, boomerang arcing from one hand while he wielded a club with the other. He was older than she remembered, and there were scars she didn't recognize. But Sokka was still Sokka – lame puns and bad jokes, taunting his target about having a 'headache' just as he bashed its brains in. "Sokka!" cried Katara. "It's back!"

"Well, then kill it!" he yelled over his shoulder.

"No, the moon!"

"What -" A razor-thin slash of ice disposed of his next opponent for him. Katara was laughing as the water surged around her, and Yue smiled, for one waterbender at least had believed the moon would not abandon them forever.

She focused and appeared before them. His eyes widened when he saw her, the dead falling away at her presence. Yue cupped her hands around his face and leaned forward. Her lips were not much more than a memory, but she kissed him with every fiber of love she possessed. He kissed her back, whispering her name and she answered, "I always loved you."

She had so much more she wished to say, but she felt the pull of her power, the need to return and rejoin La. More was coming back to her, the blend of Tui-that-was and Yue-that-is growing stronger and stronger. Before she left this plane completely, there was one thing she had to do. Something_ all_ of her desired.

And there she was, right before her murderer. She watched his face, the horror etched there as all his plans and strategies burned. "Zhao," she said.

His terror grew greater on seeing her appear before him. He struggled to stand despite the wreckage pinning him down, spitting her name, "Yue."

"Yes." She leaned forward, floating just above him. "And no." She flew backwards, the better to watch as that bloated airship exploded. Yue watched the debris scatter and smiled. Her murderer was dead, his body obliterated. Content, she returned to the sky.

* * *

Moments after Yue vanished from the clearing, Zuko saw the _Flaming Fist_ explode. The conflagration was impressive, casting a harsh orange glow over the scene. The few airships that remained began to retreat, slinking back into the darkness. He studied the sky and wondered if the newly re-empowered waterbenders would follow. If Aang would follow, and finish the job. But there were no more bursts of fire signaling the demise of another airship that he could see. He doubted that such mercy was wise. What had happened here was going to change everything. The rebels would be forced to regroup and rebuild – they'd be vulnerable to attack, despite the shift in power, and the swamp was obviously no longer a safe haven. He considered how many of the rebel forces had survived the initial onslaught as he worked on bandaging his arm. At least the Avatar was on their side, now. He alone equaled an entire army. _Aang_ equaled an army.

Zuko was making his way back to his uncle when Aang landed beside him, glider in hand. The blue glow of the Avatar State had faded, leaving only the kid that Zuko had met back in Tart's Cove. Except he hadn't really been that kid, had he? Confronting him now, Zuko didn't know what to think. The cap the kid had worn since he'd met him was gone, leaving short dark hair that failed to cover the tip of an arrow tattoo. An _airbender's_ tattoo. Betrayal and shame warred within Zuko. Betrayal for being kept in the dark, and shame for being so stupid he didn't notice the obvious. He'd been looking all those years, and he hadn't even really known what he'd been looking for.

Aang must have sensed Zuko's withdrawal, because he stopped short of the headlong rush he had begun. At least he was being spared the kid's obsession with embracing everyone in sight. Who knew the Avatar would be so emotional?

Aang opened his mouth to speak, but Zuko beat him to the punch. "You're the Avatar."

Aang trailed his staff through the ashy ground. "Yeah."

"Why didn't you say anything? You knew that I'd been searching for years. Years! But when I'm finally there, nothing. Why didn't you say something - " Zuko broke off. He thought about Azula's taunts. No matter how much she lied, they always stung. "Did you really think I was going to turn you over to Ozai? I would never - "

"Of course I never doubted you!" Aang burst out. He looked genuinely shocked at that conclusion. "I would have told you, but with Iroh knowing and then Yue, I liked that you didn't know. You treated me like I was normal. I didn't have to have a destiny when I was with you."

As much as he loved his uncle, Zuko understood how Iroh's frequent harping on destiny would chafe as free a spirit as Aang. He was willing to save his anger for said uncle for keeping secrets when Aang's response hit him fully. "What do you mean, you never doubted me?" he demanded. "Forget the fact I'm the Phoenix King's son, Aang, but when you met me I was a freaking smuggler! We're not trustworthy people!"

Aang shrugged. "So?"

"So?" Zuko tried not to scream. The kid had taken out a fleet of ships, but that hadn't stopped him from remaining hopelessly naïve. "So, you should be more careful! Do you understand that there are people who would turn you in for the bounty alone?"

"Are you mad at me for trusting you or for not trusting you?" asked Aang.

"Both!" Zuko shouted. "You're the Avatar. And now that the whole world knows that, you're going to be in so much danger. You are incredibly lucky you didn't already end up with your head mounted on Azula's wall."

"So are you!" said Aang. A slight quaver entered his voice. "It worked okay though. Didn't it?"

Zuko deflated. "It did work out. This time. Just," he sighed, "don't do that to me again. I will help you, Aang, but I can't do that blind. I've already followed you into the shark-lion's den. Though I don't know how I can help now, since you're the Avatar. Chances are the rebels are going to have a lot for you to do. They're going to need you in a big way after this battle."

"Everybody needs me," was the kid's resigned answer. "Everybody."

Zuko reached out and ruffled Aang's hair. Its short, stubbly texture reminded him of when he let his own hair grow back, after he cut ties with his father. His hand stilled. There was a lot he had to learn about Aang and where he came from. He was about to ask Aang for some of those answers when they began to near the makeshift encampment the rebels had set up at the rendezvous. The return of power to the waterbenders, at least, had helped stem the tide of fires caused by the bombs. The swamp wasn't burning today.

As they entered the camp, no doubt remained in Zuko's mind that whatever anonymity Aang had wanted to have was long gone. People stopped in their tasks and bowed to him, a more reverent humility than Zuko had ever seen, even in his days as the crown prince.

A familiar face approached them. It was Gen, he noted sourly. The man was using his spear as a crutch, though that didn't stop him from hurrying their way. Zuko resisted the urge to start pulling Aang in the opposite direction. Gen hadn't been as immediately unpleasant as Bao (may he rest in peace), but Zuko still saw no reason to talk to the man.

On reaching them, the warrior dropped his spear to the ground. "Forgive me, Avatar," he said to Aang, bowing deeply, though he wobbled a bit on his bad leg. "Had I known, you would have been treated with the honor and respect you deserved." Aang stood there awkwardly, not responding. "And of course," Gen added hurriedly, "I offer my apologies to your companion. Those who merit the Avatar's company deserve honor of their own." He bowed to Zuko in turn. Though not quite as deeply.

"Um, thanks," managed Aang after a pause that went on too long. "I'm happy that you aren't mad at Zuko for being Fire Nation, any more," Aang added with greater sincerity.

"He travels with you," said Gen. "He's clearly no friend of those monsters."

"That's good then." Aang struggled to find something else to say, the man's genuflection clearly embarrassing him. Zuko decided to intervene before things got even more awkward. People were starting to gather near them. The kid was eying them with something approaching panic in his eyes.

"Yes, glad to hear I'm not a monster," said Zuko. "Can you tell me where my uncle is? Or where the healers are?"

Gen pointed in one direction. "The healers have set up by the river. With the return of waterbending, there is so much more they can do. I was headed that way myself."

"Thanks. Great. So you there." Zuko pulled Aang by the arm and hurried in the given direction, leaving Gen behind to struggle for his makeshift crutch. It wasn't hard to find them once pointed the right way. The wounded were spread about, healers and their assistants working triage among them. Zuko moved along, looking for where those less injured were being kept, Aang kept strictly by his side. He finally found Iroh sitting up on a mat, looking much better than he had a few hours ago. Master Pakku and Huu were with him, talking away. They both look quite happy – as they should, now that they were whole again.

Now that Yue was the moon. Zuko found himself looking up at the sky, at the pale circle shining above him. He could sense the coming sunrise, but it would be a little while longer before the moon had set again.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" said Aang in a soft voice beside him. "And it was all Yue. She knew what she needed to do and she just … did it. No matter what it cost her."

"She's still there," Zuko told him. "She is the moon."

Aang smiled. "I know." Ever changing (like the wind?), Aang stepped forward, plopping himself beside Iroh. "I'm happy that you're all right," he said to Iroh with a grin.

"As I for you," responded Iroh, with a slight incline of his head, "Avatar Aang." The other men added their respects. Iroh looked over Aang's head to meet Zuko's eyes. He betrayed no shame with ease he granted Aang that title. "And I am pleased my nephew remains in one piece as well. Though - "

"Azula escaped," said Zuko in answer to the unfinished question, joining the group on the ground. He'd deal with his uncle another time. "She ran off into the swamp."

"With any luck that will be her end," muttered Pakku. Zuko wished the man spoke the truth, but doubted it. His sister would never die so easily.

Huu shook his head. "It is a bad thing when families fight." He nodded towards Zuko's shoulder. "She drew blood." The man stood and made to motion for a healer.

Zuko stopped him. The bandage would hold for now and there were others who needed help more. "She always does," he said with a sigh. "She's going to be ready next time."

"She will indeed," his uncle agreed. "But you will be ready too."

"Yeah." Zuko looked at Aang. "I will be." He shot Iroh a quick glare, not willing to let him off so easy yet. "Provided people tell me what I'm up against."

Iroh spread out his hands in an expansive gesture. "I have always had faith, nephew, in your ability to adapt to life's changes. And now that I know you are well, there is a very lovely lady I wish to speak to. For all the trials we've experienced this day, there have been triumphs too. And who better to share it with than some new friends?"

Pakku stood after him, a scowl crossing his face. "Your new friend is Kanna, isn't it? Why don't I accompany you."

"I rather thought you might," said Iroh dryly. "Rest well, Zuko. And you, Aang."

* * *

The next few days were much as Zuko had expected them to be. The rebels regrouped and mourned their dead, burning the bodies before consigning the ashes according to their beliefs, be it in the water or buried in the ground. Aang found himself the subject of a great deal of attention, much of which he tried to avoid by hiding behind Zuko. Which would fail, forcing Zuko to stand by Aang as admirers spoke of the honor of the Avatar's presence while he struggled to think of an excuse to flee. Though he noticed Aang wasn't too put out by Ushi's visits. The fact that she was trailing after Zuko and not him likely helped. The girl, her brother firmly by her side or on her back, started following Zuko around for lack of any better occupation, and though she was clearly grieving the loss of her father followed so soon after her mother, she and Aang managed to find a game or two to distract themselves.

The two of them were at play now, in a cobbled together game that appeared to involve earthbending, airbending, and mudpies. Zuko didn't ask, and Liang was entertained enough by the mud going splat against the designated target tree.

"He's younger than you were when you first left home, isn't he?" said his uncle. Zuko turned his head to see Iroh sitting down beside him.

"He's one hundred and twenty-two," he responded. "But you always knew that, didn't you?"

Iroh didn't back down from the accusation. "Yes. But then, I knew it was time to start looking."

Zuko watched Ushi bend the mud up and fling it at the tree. A gust of wind sent it off course, only for the mud to redirect and splatter Aang. The two laughed.

"Uncle," he began. "Did you not tell me because you didn't trust me?"

Iroh sighed. "I knew you would think that, but that was never the case. I took no joy from keeping you in the dark. But it wasn't the right time yet." He nodded towards Aang. "He needed to learn about this world. So much has changed. And he couldn't do that as the Avatar."

"I thought he was kicked out of a monastery." Zuko laughed with only a touch of bitterness. "A really, really isolated monastery."

"That … is not inaccurate," admitted Iroh. "And that is why he needs you."

"So what happens next?"

"Many things. Some of which are up to Aang. Some up to you. For myself, with the vouching of my conduct by both Master Pakku and Master Huu, I offered my help to this rebellion. Once the redoubtable Mei Ling stopped shouting for my execution, she did grant that as feared a tactician as myself would be of value to their work." Iroh smiled. "The fact that she uses the White Lotus Gambit in Pai Sho played only a small part in that decision. That is an earthbender for you. Stubborn to the end."

Zuko absorbed his uncle's words. Despite the directionless way he'd lived the last ten years, he'd always had his uncle with him. Even when he'd been little more than a thief and enforcer for hire, Iroh had been nearby. Working with those Pai Sho playing contacts, perhaps, but there. If his uncle decided this was what he wanted, then Zuko wasn't going to stop him. Though he wasn't certain what place he would have in this rebellion.

Iroh continued talking. "While most of the High Council would very much like to see the Avatar remain here – he certainly wouldn't lack for teachers – there are a few of us who believe Aang might be better used elsewhere. Certainly happier elsewhere. For people to believe the Avatar has returned, he needs to be more than a rumor."

"Even rumors can be tracked," Zuko said sourly. "And I've tracked them all. Now that there's something behind them, Aang won't last a minute on his own. Not with Azula out there."

"But he wouldn't be on his own, would he?" said Iroh, raising an eyebrow to his nephew. "Who better to travel with him than someone who would follow him to the ends of the earth?"

"And what does Aang think about this?"

"Oh, he thinks it's an excellent idea. He even has a few ideas for your next destination. Tell me, what do you know about Appa?"

"He's Aang's mysterious lost friend?"

"My best friend ever!" sang out Aang as he hurried over to where the two men sat. "After you, of course," he hastily added before plopping down. Behind him, Ushi helped Liang make his own mudpie. "Before we do anything else, we need to get Appa back."

"Why?"

Aang looked Zuko firmly in the eye. "Because I'm not going to leave him behind again. Besides," he added, "once we find him, travel will be a lot easier. He's a sky bison, you know."

"Now I do," muttered Zuko. "Wait, wasn't Appa taken by the pirates?"

"I'm sure my contacts can point you in the right direction," said Iroh smoothly. "Then it's settled?"

Zuko leaned back. With Aang watching him like that, how could he say no? Part of him wanted to be dismayed by the way things had spun out of his control ever since his uncle conned him into taking that kid aboard, but the truth was, he didn't care. He'd finally found the Avatar, after all. And with Aang, he'd restore his honor.

* * *

Thank you for everyone's patience in reading this! There is more to the story to come (hint: Suki, pirates, and the rescue of Appa) and until then, thank you!


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